Danueal Drayton, a 27-year-old from New Haven, Connecticut, methodically used the Tinder dating application to meet and prey on women across multiple states. His criminal spree culminated in his arrest on July 24, 2018, when Los Angeles police found him holding a woman hostage in a North Hollywood apartment.
**A Pattern of Violence**
Drayton's history of violence predated his dating app attacks. Connecticut authorities had previously arrested him for unlawful imprisonment and strangulation—red flags that would later take on sinister significance as investigators pieced together a series of assaults and murders.
The confirmed victims paint a disturbing picture of calculated predation. On June 17, 2018, a 23-year-old Brooklyn woman met Drayton on Tinder. When she attempted to leave, he choked her and raped her. Approximately one month earlier, another unnamed woman in Queens suffered the same fate.
**The Death of Samantha Stewart**
The case gained national attention following the death of Samantha Stewart, a 29-year-old nurse living in Queens, New York. Stewart met Drayton through Tinder, a decision that would cost her her life. On July 17, 2018, her brother discovered her body in her bedroom, wrapped in blankets. She had been strangled; her teeth were knocked out—evidence of brutal violence.
After killing Stewart, Drayton showed no remorse. He immediately used her credit card to purchase a one-way plane ticket to California, attempting to flee across the country. Police have determined that Drayton was responsible for Stewart's death, though he has not formally admitted to her murder.
**The California Arrest**
Drayton's final known victim narrowly escaped with her life. A 28-year-old woman in North Hollywood agreed to go on a date with him, met through the same dating application. During the encounter, Drayton sexually assaulted and strangled her, then held her captive in her own apartment. On July 24, 2018, at approximately 5 p.m., LAPD officers arrested Drayton while he was still holding her against her will. He faced charges of attempted murder and sexual assault in Los Angeles; he pleaded not guilty in Van Nuys court.
**Confessions to Multiple Murders**
