How certain are you that the person living with you, under the same roof, isn’t capable of harming you? Your home is your personal sanctuary, somewhere you may find peace and comfort from the dangers of the world. But, be cautious when you open your doors to strangers, you may have unknowingly welcomed a devil into your home.
A muscular, hunky bodybuilder from California traveled to the bright lights of New York City to earn some extra cash, but the only thing he would end up earning is a jail cell.
California Model
Geoffrey, a 25-year-old personal trainer and fitness model, from a small town in California, seemed to have it all. Besides his exceptionally good looks, he was also studious and determined to do well in school. Geoffrey graduated with a degree from San Jose University in Northern California.
A Body Builder
As a personal trainer, Geoffrey’s life also centered around the gym and body building competitions. His sun-kissed tan from the California sun, golden locks, and ripped muscles are displayed for the world to see on his social media page. Over ten thousand followers openly admire Geoffrey’s selfies by commenting on his endless array of selfies.
A Business Opportunity
Hundreds of Instagram stars use their social media platforms to showcase their looks, while acquiring jaw dropping figures in their bank account. Geoffrey not only enjoyed the constant attention from his drooling followers, he also realized he could make tons of money from business proposals like other Instagram stars. One particular business venture caught Geoffrey’s eye right off the bat.
A Move to The Big Apple
A strip club owner spotted pictures of the hunky personal trainer on his Instagram page and believed Geoffrey would definitely bring in more business. The man offered Geoffrey quick and big money to move to the Big Apple as a dancer at a gay club. Geoffrey was reluctant at first, but the man also offered to pay for Geoffrey’s plane ticket and promised him a swanky place to live in Hell’s Kitchen.
Make Tons of Money
The strip club owner painted a rosy picture of the life awaiting him in New York. And, Geoffrey had always wanted to experience life in the Big Apple and thought it would be a promising opportunity to make some extra cash. So, he packed his things and made the move across the country: “He told him he could make a ton of money, bought him a ticket and flew him out,” a source said.
A Roommate
The owner arranged for Tracy to stay at a friend’s place on West 49th Street near 9th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen. At first, when the man had promised Geoffrey a place to stay, he conveniently didn’t mention the roommate until he had already made the decision to leave California. But when Geoffrey arrived in the Big Apple, things were not as wonderful as he had hoped…
Something Was Not Right
When Geoffrey met his older roommate, Greg, 50, he felt an instant feeling of uneasiness. Only a few days into his trip, this uneasiness quickly escalated into an incident that would make headline news all over the country. Geoffrey alleges his new roommate had no intention of merely sharing the same living space, but instead, to force him into sexual activity.
Allegations of Sexual Harassment
A few days in his dingy apartment, Geoffrey became increasingly uncomfortable. He claims that Greg started forcefully rubbing his legs, then moved his hands closer to his groin. Geoffrey also claims that Greg had made a jaw dropping confession to molesting him as he slept.
Drugged By Force
Geoffrey claims that his roommate tried to drug him repeatedly to impair him from resisting his advances. He alleges that his disturbed roommate wanted him incapacitated to give him free reign to molest him as he desired. These shocking accusations against Greg had just begun.
Blocking The Door
When Geoffrey Tracy resisted Greg’s creepy advances, Greg allegedly blocked the front door to prevent him from leaving. Geoffrey also claims Greg had threatened to kidnap him if he did not comply to his sexual advances. Nevertheless, whatever had happened in those tense moments, things were about to turn into a violent showdown very quickly…
A Brawl
According to Geoffrey, Greg warned him “that he had a gun, that he has the means to cut off his WiFi and his contact with the world.” Things escalated quickly after this specific threat. The two men brawled around the tiny apartment making so much noise that the neighbors awoke from it, “I heard a lot of yelling and banging,” said one neighbor.
The Stabbing
Geoffrey grabbed a kitchen knife, and then the horrific slashing began. He stabbed Greg all over his body a jaw dropping sixteen times. The enraged man repeatedly plunged a knife into Greg’s neck, chest, shoulder and ribs. After the stabbing ended, Geoffrey ran out of the apartment and then disposed of the knife in a dumpster.
A Bloody Scene
Greg helplessly laid in his own blood on the floor of his home. Clinging on to life by a thread, Greg was losing blood in his vital organs. The ambulance arrived within minutes after a neighbor had called. Greg Kanczes was rushed to Bellevue hospital in critical condition.
The Arrest
Geoffrey was found by the police seven hours later and arrested on charges of attempted murder and assault with intent to cause serious injury. Geoffrey was held on $250,000 cash bail or $500,000 bond in Manhattan Criminal Court. His attorneys insisted their client was not only bamboozled with a deceitful deal but held against his will.
The Defense
“[My client was a] naive young man from California who fell into the hands of a savvy, manipulative person,” insisted defense attorney Thomas Kenniff. “He was lured to New York by associates of the purported victim in this case, who promised him a glamour existence here … if he agreed to come to New York and work in a male strip club. We believe the incident was prompted by the actions of the purported victim in this case in attempting to sexually assault Mr. Tracy and unlawfully imprison him,” said Kenniff. “At the end of the day, we believe that the victim here is actually Mr. Tracy.”
An Old Friend Begs to Differ
Normand La Chance, Greg’s ex-boyfriend of 12 years, rejected the defense portrayal of the victim as far from the truth. “This guy had issues,” said La Chance, 48, of San Francisco, about Tracy. “If you’re stabbing someone [that many] times, especially in the neck. … Something bad went down. I’ll bet you (Tracy) was on drugs. He’s not some pristine guy.” Greg’s ex boyfriend also said, “He’s so muscular and Greg’s not.” “You could have thrown him and ran out the door. You don’t stab somebody. … Greg’s not like that, he’s not a predator,” he added.
Self Defense
According to Geoffrey’s lawyer, he had been subjected to days of sexual abuse, harassment, and threats to his life, and had only had resorted to stabbing Greg when he wasn’t allowed to leave the apartment. “He was subject to very, very bizarre behavior by (Kanczes), as well as multiple attempts to sexually assault him,” said Kenniff. “(Kanczes) sexually assaulted my client when he was asleep. My client was very disturbed by that.”
Not Guilty Plea
Geoffrey offered a not guilty plea to second-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault, turning down a plea deal of 20 years in prison. The 25-year-old bodybuilder admitted in court to stabbing his 50-year-old roommate. But, he claims he did it only for self-defense.
Changing Story
“The guy tried to make moves on me,” Geoffrey told police. “I told him no, then he said he’d shoot me so I had to defend myself. I had a knife to him, he went for the gun. I filmed myself on my iPhone saying I didn’t want to kill him. He had a gun. I had to kill him.” But, Geoffrey’s version of events changed, admitting that he never saw a gun.
Is He Guilty?
Currently, Geoffrey is waiting behind bars to face a trial jury. A jury will weigh out the evidence and witness testimonials to decide whether to throw the man in jail for a few decades or possibly believe his self defense testimony, allowing him to continue his love of taking selfies of his six pack abs. Nevertheless, his entire ordeal is a far cry from what he had imagined of life in the Big Apple.
This story will be updated as more information is released.
