The gruesome murder of a well-known “Club Kid” abbreviated a subculture that briefly electrified New York City’s underground.

Andre “Angel” Melendez was part of the city’s “Club Kid” scene, donning outlandish outfits and heavy makeup against the backdrop of electronic dance music. He often sported feathered wings as part of his costume, garnering him recognition in a movement showcasing gender fluidity and bold fashion choices.

“They became the party-goers, event producers, influencers, and tastemakers who defined a generation of cool in New York,” Them, an online LGBTQ+ magazine, stated of the scene in a 2019 story. “…  No one had seen anything like them before, with their glitter, their wigs, their sky-high platform boots, their piercings, their patent leather, and their powerful command of attention.” 

Melendez’s 1996 disappearance and murder while he was in his mid-20s also commanded attention, later inspiring a book, songs, and films — including 2003’s Party Monster, starring Macaulay Culkin as one of his killers.

The true crime story will now be covered in an upcoming Season 3 episode of .