The duo is accused of slashing the gay video producer’s throat, then stabbing him 28 times after he died and burning Kocis’ body to hide the crime. Investigators believe Cuadra and Kerekes were able to enter Kocis’ house under the guise that Cuadra was a new gay model seeking to work for Cobra Video.
Police arrested the pair after allegedly finding evidence on Kocis’ computer that managed to survive the fire. The emails presented Cuadra as a new model who arranged to meet Kocis the night of his murder, according to court documents.
Investigators say the motive for Kocis’ murder was that he presented a roadblock between Cuadra and Kerekes working with popular gay star Sean Lockhart, aka Brent Corrigan, who was under an exclusive contract at the time.
According to court documents, the pair met with Corrigan and an associate to discuss filming a movie together and that Cuadra suggested he would kill Kocis if necessary to move forward with the movie.
“What if Bryan [Kocis] left the country?” Cuadra said, according to court papers. “Harlow knows someone who would do anything for him,” Kerekes said.
Investigators allege that after this meeting a plan to eliminate Kocis was underway.
According to court documents, evidence against the pair includes surveillance footage of them buying a knife a day before the murder that matches the knife used in the slaying, witnesses identifying a gray SUV that the duo rented in front of Kocis’ house the fateful night, damning phone conversations and video cameras in the pair’s possession that police believe belonged to Kocis.
“Actually seeing that fucker going down, it’s actually sick, but it made me feel better inside,” Cuadra said, according to the documents. “It almost felt like I got revenge and I know that sounds fucked up.”
The pair continues to maintain their innocence. Cuadra blogs from jail and communicates messages through his friends on the outside.
