Man Sentenced to Over 12 Years for Trying to Murder Grindr Date
An Oregon man lured a victim through Grindr using the name "str8 curious" before trying to gouge out his eyes.
Daniel McGee, a 26-year-old from Springfield, Oregon, has been sentenced to 151 months, or just over 12-and-a-half years in federal prison after pleading guilty to a federal hate crime for attempting to kill a man he met through the LGBTQ dating app Grindr.
After serving his prison sentence, McGee will be required to complete five years of supervised release. He must also pay a $100 assessment and $943.95 in restitution to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Account, according to court documents.
McGee first met the victim on July 5, 2021, through the Grindr app, where he used the screen name “str8 curious” and sought to arrange an in-person meeting. In messages on the app, McGee claimed to have just turned 18 and said he wasn’t ready to kiss yet, but wanted to make sure he and the man would be alone.
But once McGee arrived at the victim’s apartment, he attacked the man, striking him over the head with a small wooden club known as a tire thumper. Police say McGee also attempted to gouge out the victim’s eyes with his hands during the assault. Neighbors heard a commotion inside the apartment and called emergency services, telling dispatchers they could hear someone screaming for help.
When police arrived at the scene, they found both men inside the victim’s apartment, with the victim suffering from multiple life-threatening injuries. He had sustained several lacerations to the back and sides of his head, and a large portion of his scalp was missing. The victim was transported to a local hospital.
According to court documents, McGee told detectives he met the victim on Grindr and went inside the man’s apartment because he believed “demons would be there.” He also said he intended to “slay” and “get rid of” the victim.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon said investigators found evidence that McGee had been planning the assault for weeks, including searching online for graphic anti-gay material and videos of anti-gay assaults, purchasing the tire thumper used in the attack, and researching how to get away with murder and dispose of a body.
In an affidavit, McGee’s father said his son is autistic, according to USA Today.
On November 18, 2021, a grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, returned a one-count indictment charging McGee with a hate crime involving an attempted killing, alleging he targeted the victim because of his sexual orientation. McGee later pleaded guilty in federal court on November 25, 2025, and was sentenced on March 3, 2026.
“The right to live safely in one’s community is a fundamental civil right,” U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford, of the District of Oregon, said in a Justice Department news release.. “The District of Oregon remains committed to combating hate crimes and protecting that right for all. While no conviction can undo the harm caused, we hope this sentence will bring some measure of justice to the victim and our community.”
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