Allen R . Schindler , Jr . Allen R . Schindler , Jr . ( December 13 , 1969 – October 27 , 1992 ) was an American Radioman Petty Officer Third Class in the United States Navy who was murdered for being gay . He was killed in a public toilet in Sasebo , Nagasaki , Japan by shipmate Terry M . Helvey , who acted with the aid of an accomplice , Charles Vins , in what " Esquire " called a " brutal murder " . The case became synonymous with the gays in the military debate that had been brewing in the United States culminating in the " Don ' t ask , don ' t tell " bill . Background . Allen R . Schindler , Jr . ( December 13 , 1969 — October 27 , 1992 ) was an American Radioman Petty Officer Third Class in the United States Navy and a victim of a hate crime because he was gay . He was killed in a public toilet in Sasebo , Nagasaki , Japan by shipmate Terry M . Helvey , who acted with the aid of an accomplice , Charles Vins , in what Esquire called a " brutal murder " . The case became synonymous with the gays in the military debate that had been brewing in the United States culminating in the " Don ' t ask , don ' t tell " bill . According to several of his friends , Schindler had complained repeatedly of anti - gay harassment to his chain of command in March and April 1992 , citing incidents such as the gluing - shut of his locker and frequent comments from shipmates such as " There ' s a faggot on this ship and he should die " . Schindler had begun the separation process to leave the Navy , but his superiors insisted he remain on his ship until the process was finished . Though he knew his safety was at risk , Schindler obeyed orders . While on transport from San Diego , California to Sasebo , the " Belleau Wood " made a brief stop in Pearl Harbor , Hawaii . Afterward en route to Japan , Schindler made a personal prank announcement " 2 - Q - T - 2 - B - S - T - R - 8 ” ( too cute to be straight ) on secure lines reaching much of the Pacific Fleet . " When he appeared at captain ' s mast for the unauthorized radio message , he requested that the hearing be closed . It was open , with two hundred to three hundred people in attendance . " Schindler was put on restrictive leave and was unable to leave the ship until a few months after arriving at Sasebo and four days before his death . Murder . Airman Apprentice Terry M . Helvey who was a member of the ship ' s weather department ( OA Division , Operations Department ) stomped Schindler to death in a toilet in a park in Sasebo , Nagasaki . Schindler had " at least four fatal injuries to the head , chest , and abdomen , " his head was crushed , ribs broken , and his penis cut , and he had " sneaker - tread marks stamped on his forehead and chest " destroying " every organ in his body " leaving behind a " nearly - unrecognizable corpse . " Schindler was left lying on the bathroom floor until the Shore Patrol and the key witness to the incident ( Jonathan W . ) carried out Schindler ' s body to the nearby Albuquerque Bridge . Jonathan W . witnessed the murder while using the restroom . He noticed Helvey jumping on Schindler ' s body while singing , and blood gushing from Schindler ' s mouth while he attempted to breathe . The key witness was requested to explain in detail to the military court what the crime scene looked like , but would not because Schindler ' s mother and sister were present in the courtroom . Details revealed . " The Navy was less than forthcoming about the details of the killing , both to the news media and to the victim ' s family , especially his mother , Dorothy Hajdys . " In the wake of Schindler ' s murder , the Navy denied that it had received any complaints of harassment and refused to speak publicly about the case or to release the Japanese police report on the murder . The medical examiner compared Schindler ' s injuries to those sustained by a victim of a fatal horse trampling saying they were worse " than the damage to a person who ’ d been stomped by a horse ; they were similar to what might be sustained in a high - speed car crash or a low - speed aircraft accident . " At the wake in the family ' s home in Chicago , his mother and sister could only identify him by the tattoos on his arm as his face was disfigured . Trial and outcomes . During the trial Helvey denied that he killed Schindler because he was gay , stating , " I did not attack him because he was homosexual " but evidence presented by Navy investigator , Kennon F . Privette , from the interrogation of Helvey the day after the murder showed otherwise . " He said he hated homosexuals . He was disgusted by them , " Privette said . On killing Schindler , Privette quoted Helvey as saying : " I don ' t regret it . I ' d do it again . . . . He deserved it . " " Under a court - approved bargain in exchange for his pleading guilty to " inflicting great bodily harm , " the maximum penalty is lifetime imprisonment . Under the original charge , it was death . " After the trial , Helvey was convicted of murder and Douglas J . Bradt , the captain who kept the incident quiet was demoted and transferred to Florida . Helvey is now serving a life sentence in the military prison at the United States Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth , Kansas , although by statute , he is granted a clemency hearing every year . Helvey ' s accomplice , Charles Vins , was allowed to plea bargain as guilty to three lesser offenses , including failure to report a serious crime and to testify truthfully against Terry Helvey , and served a 78 - day sentence before receiving a general discharge from the Navy . Cultural references . The events surrounding Schindler ' s murder were the subject of a " 20 / 20 " episode and were portrayed in the 1997 TV film " Any Mother ' s Son " . In 1998 , " Any Mother ' s Son " won a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Made for TV Movie .