and arson, he claimed to have been both enamored with and terrified of Bonin, whom he claimed held a "kind of hypnotic" control over him. In contrast, Bonin held Butts in high regard for his social popularity and for empowering him, describing the young man as very intelligent. Although both lived externally heterosexual lifestyles, the two soon became lovers, with Butts also introducing Bonin to the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons, in which Butts organized and advertised weekly gaming events at his residence. Butts also held "Mystery Parties" in which up to sixteen people searched for various murder artifacts in the city of Downey, such as a hairpin or ice pick. As a result, Bonin and Butts frequently discussed the subject of death. Months later, Bonin suggested that they rape and murder a teenage hitchhiker during one of these discussions. Butts was amenable to this suggestion, and later freely admitted to taking great delight in watching Bonin abuse and torture his victims in the rear of his van as he (Butts) drove the vehicle. Nonetheless, Butts insisted he had primarily participated in the murders out of fear of Bonin, who on one occasion had arrived at his residence unannounced after Butts had discreetly changed his address without informing him. Miley – an illiterate Texas native and high school dropout with an IQ of 56 who supported himself with casual work – also actively participated in two murders he accompanied Bonin upon. Raised in Lakewood, Miley's mother had a series of reportedly dysfunctional marriages and severely neglected him. Miley – who viewed Bonin as something of a father figure– often accompanied Bonin against his mother's wishes to watch movies, buy clothes, and visit restaurants in exchange for their sexual relationship. Bonin himself later confessed to a psychologist his feeling a sense of social belonging with his accomplices in murder that he had never previously experienced with any other individuals. Murders Bonin usually selected young male hitchhikers, schoolboys or, occasionally, male prostitutes as his victims. The victims, aged 12 to 19, were predominantly Caucasian or Latino, slender, pale, long-haired youths whom he either enticed or forced into his Ford Econoline van, where they were overpowered and bound hand and foot with a combination of handcuffs and wire or cords. They were then sexually assaulted, extensively beaten about the face, torso, head and genitals, and tortured before typically being killed by strangulation