In the summer of 1984, the sleepy town of Northport, New York, became the epicenter of a nationwide panic. The reason? A gruesome murder in the woods—committed by a teenager who claimed to worship Satan.
The killer, Ricky Kasso, quickly earned the nickname “The Acid King” for his heavy drug use and terrifying behavior. But what truly shocked the nation was the alleged motive: a ritualistic killing carried out in the name of Satan.
The case would ignite the flames of the Satanic Panic, a media-fueled moral hysteria that would last well into the 1990s.
But who was Ricky Kasso really? And was this truly a satanic sacrifice—or something darker and sadder beneath the surface?
The Making of the Acid King
Richard Allan Kasso Jr. was born on March 29, 1967. From a young age, he was a troubled and rebellious child. He fell into heavy drug use as a teenager—LSD, PCP, cannabis—and quickly became a fixture of the local stoner scene.
He idolized occult imagery, listened to heavy metal, and allegedly called himself “The Acid King”. But Ricky was not part of any actual satanic cult—his obsession with the dark arts seemed more symbolic than spiritual, fueled by drugs and anger.
Despite being expelled from school and arrested multiple times, no serious intervention was made. Ricky drifted further into the fringes of society.
The Murder of Gary Lauwers
On June 16, 1984, Kasso and three friends—Gary Lauwers, James Troiano, and Albert Quinones—went into the woods of Aztakea Woods to get high.
Gary Lauwers, age 17, had once stolen ten bags of angel dust from Kasso. According to witness testimony, Ricky never let that go.
While high on LSD and mescaline, Kasso began accusing Lauwers of stealing. What started as an argument quickly spiraled into a violent frenzy.
Kasso and Troiano reportedly beat and tortured Lauwers for hours—stabbing him repeatedly, burning his face, and forcing him to chant “I love Satan” before finally stabbing him to death and gouging out his eyes.
They left his mutilated body in a shallow grave in the woods.
The Aftermath and Arrest
For the next two weeks, Kasso bragged about the murder to local kids. He even took some to the woods to see the decaying corpse.
Eventually, a tip led police to the site. Ricky Kasso was arrested on July 5, 1984, and charged with second-degree murder.
The media seized on the satanic elements of the case, linking it to occult activity, heavy metal, and drug use. Kasso’s appearance—long hair, upside-down crosses, and skull jewelry—only amplified the fear.
But just days after his arrest, Kasso hanged himself in his jail cell, using a bedsheet. He was 17 years old.
Satanic Panic Takes Over
The Kasso case exploded across the national media. Headlines warned of teenage devil worshippers, satanic cults, and ritual murder.
In reality, there was no evidence that Kasso belonged to any organized cult. His references to Satan likely stemmed from drug-induced delusions and a rebellious image rather than any true religious motivation.
Still, the public was already primed to believe the worst. The Kasso murder became a cornerstone of the Satanic Panic—a period where law enforcement, schools, and parents feared that secret cults were infiltrating society and sacrificing children.
The Real Story: Mental Illness, Drugs, and Neglect
Behind the headlines, the Ricky Kasso story is one of systemic failure:
- He had clear signs of mental illness and drug dependency
- Authorities repeatedly dismissed him as a “bad kid”
- No real psychological help or treatment was ever provided
Had someone intervened, the murder of Gary Lauwers may never have happened.
Kasso wasn’t a demon. He was a deeply disturbed teenager failed by every system designed to protect him—and his peers.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
Despite the truth, Ricky Kasso became a cultural icon of horror:
- The case inspired books like Say You Love Satan
- The 1999 film Ricky 6 was loosely based on his story
- He is frequently referenced in documentaries on the Satanic Panic
To this day, the phrase “The Acid King” evokes a mix of fear, mystery, and myth.
Ricky Kasso’s murder of Gary Lauwers was brutal and senseless—but not the work of a true Satanist. It was the result of drug psychosis, untreated mental health issues, and a culture more interested in fear than facts.
Still, the story haunts Northport. And the woods where Lauwers died are now a symbol of a time when evil was blamed on Satan—but was really much closer to home.
For more cases like this, explore our archive. SinisterArchive.com—where the legends are real.