A 54-year-old gay Phoenix man was beaten to death and stabbed multiple times on Sunday, allegedly by a 19-year-old date he met on Grindr, the social networking/hook-up network for iPhones. Police say they are looking into robbery as a possible motive – the victim’s roommate found the apartment ransacked when he returned home at 11pm.

So, is Grindr bad because it lets people lure victims into dangerous situations, or because it gives police an easy means of tracking down the culprit?

UPDATE: Or was it even Grindr at all? A spokesperson for Grindr sent this email along:

As you will see below – the Phoenix Police issued a statement that Grindr was not involved and should not be mentioned as part of this story.

Please update your post with this new information.

Thanks,
Heather Wilson
For Grindr

From the Phoenix Police Dept Press Office:

Hello all. Our detectives have learned through this continuing investigation that it was not the “Grinder” IPHONE application that was used by the victim to make contact with the suspect, it was in fact a different social network. Because this investigation is continuing, I do not have the information regarding the actual site that was used. I would ask that, as you continue to report this grizzly crime to your viewers readers and listeners, you use “unknown social network” in regards to how the victim and suspect were connected.

I will continue to update you on this investigation as information is received.
Thanks as always,

Detective James R Holmes
Phoenix Police Department
Media Relations Unit

Elsewhere…

D.C. – It didn’t go well for supporters of Referendum 71, the ballot initiative defeated in the 2008 Washington State election that tried to make same-gender marriage illegal, when arguing their case before the Supreme Court. Supporters are asking the Supremes to block the release of the names of people who signed petitions to put Referendum 71 on the ballot. Even Justice Antonin Scalia told them to suck it up. (The Box Turtle Bulletin)

D.C. – Washington D.C. Adrian Fenty, a strong supporter of gay rights, awards an ex-gay group. (EDGE)

D.C. – 50 retired military chaplains, possibly spurred on by the Family Research Council and the Alliance Defense Fund, are writing to President Obama claiming a DADT repeal will discriminate against some Christian chaplains, and keep them from spreading hate. (Towleroad)

North Carolina – It’s prom season – time to plan alternate proms to protect your children from their classmates’ “gayness.” (The Advocate)

California – Date set for closing arguments in Perry v. Schwarzenegger. Finally. (The Box Turtle Bulletin)