D.C. Principal Murdered by Man He Met on Phone-Sex Line

Brian Betts, a popular principal of a Washington, D.C. school, was murdered in his home after reportedly meeting someone on a gay phone chat line. Three teens have been arrested as suspects; the mother of one teen has been charged for using the victim's credit card.

The slaying took place in the wake of a similar killing in which a gay man, Anthony Perkins, was shot to death on Dec. 27, 2009, after arranging a meeting with someone he'd met on a phone chat line called DC Raven. Washington, D.C.-based GLBT service organization The Center issued an April 23 warning to the city's gay residents through it GLOV ("Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence") program, reported the MetroWeekly on that same day.

The Center's advisory warned readers that, ""In light of the recent murders of Anthony Perkins and Brian Betts, Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) has reason to believe that gay men who arrange sexual encounters through websites, chat rooms, or apps may be being targeted for violent crime. While the Internet and phone 'chat rooms' offer a non-threatening environment to meet people, it can also provide opportunities for criminals to prey upon unsuspecting victims," the advisory continued. "GLOV urges individuals who use the Internet as a place for meeting acquaintances or sexual encounters to be aware of their surroundings, talk on the phone prior to meeting in a public place, and notify friends of your whereabouts."

Betts reportedly used a similar phone chat service to arrange a meeting, but the three teens who allegedly arrived at his home had robbery in mind; the police say that anti-gay bias is not thought to have played a role in the killing, even though the victim was identified and lured by means of a gay chat line.

A May 5 Washington Post article said that the killing also triggered recollections of other concerned teachers who had been engaged in their students' academic progress, including Jonathan Levin, who was killed by a student during a 1997 robbery in New York. However, it did not appear that the suspects had been students at the school.

Betts had reportedly arranged to meet with at least one of the suspects; there was no sign of forced entry at Betts' home, where he was shot to death. Betts' SUV was stolen and later recovered; witnesses said that at least two young men had been in the vehicle. All three murder suspects--Alante Saunders, Sharif Tau Lancaster, and Deontra Gray--are 18 years old.

Though chat sites have largely moved to the text-and-image driven online world, the Post reported, there's still a busy and profitable phone line industry. Ironically, one reason phone chat users choose that option is for safety: "Web sites can be tracked," Frederick S. Lane, who has written a book on the sex chat industry, told the Post. "It is a lot harder to track phone conversations. And don't overlook the value of voice: It can convey emotion."

The Daily Beast reported in a May 1 article that Betts served as principal at Shaw Middle School, which the article characterized as a "tough" school that Betts turned into a success story. Betts was admired by the students, one of whom said that the 42-year-old educator was "the father I never had, because my real father was always in and out of my life." Other students expressed similar sentiments. Professionally, too, Betts won plaudits; Michelle Rhee, the Washington, D.C. chancellor who assigned Betts to Shaw, told attendees at a memorial service that the work Betts had done was "truly amazing," adding that, "We would often take the press and other visitors to see the transformation" of Shaw Middle School.

In a May 5 follow-up article, The Daily Beast noted that, for some, Betts' sexual orientation overshadowed his career. A Facebook page in honor of Betts quickly drew almost 2,000 members--but also vulgarity-riddled denunciations from someone who posted comments at the page attacking Betts. Users who posted remarks at online news sites also attacked Betts, the article said.

"My worst fear would be that people judge Brian by his personal life rather than taking the time to look at his many accomplishments," Betts' cousin, Patrick Smith, told The Daily Beast.

Noted longtime friend Alex Postpischil, "I can't help but think that if these men who committed the crimes had met Brian five years ago, when they were in middle school, they would not be doing the things they are charged with doing." Added Postpischil, "When I think about the thousands of young people who have been influenced by Brian, I can't help but think about the thousands who won't have that opportunity."