Thrill Kill: The Murder of Kimberly Cates



"We're about to do the most evil thing this town has ever seen," Steven Spader, then 17, allegedly said as he and three young friends drove to Trow Road. His passengers were Quinn Glover, then 17, William Marks, then 18, and Christopher A. Gribble, then 20. Together this group of motley misfits made up the "Disciples of Destruction," a criminal "brotherhood" founded by Spader in September 2009, the month before the murder. The random killing was to be the final, irrevocable "initiation" to the gang, a way to seal their commitment with innocent blood.

Random killings have become a fascination in certain dark corners of American culture, particularly music culture. From death metal to more aggressive strands of hip-hop, some young Americans have been conditioned to see achievement in randomly creating victims. The only requirement necessary for victimization is weakness or less-than-perfect vigilance. The "Disciples of Destruction" were such deadly enthusiasts; the Cates family their unwitting prey.

Like many suburban kids with too much time on their hands, the "Disciples of Destruction" were drawn together by a shared fascination with the cultures of death and mayhem. They not only admired the Manson Family and the Zodiac killer, but they were self-proclaimed "juggalos," followers of the rap group Insane Clown Posse, known for their celebration of violence and mayhem.