East St. Louis experienced this dark period in the 1990s, which, according to older people, is still part of the conversation today. A man called Darnell McGee, popularly known as Boss Man, discovered that he was HIV positive in 1992. The doctors told him plainly about his health conditions and how serious they were, explaining to him how to protect others. Instead of stopping or being honest, he kept on going and hiding the truth.
He had had unsafe sex with girls and women and never told them about his HIV status. Most of his victims were female, aged between 12 and 29. Many of them were really young. Many others later said that he met them at skating rinks, schools, and local clubs. Back then, skating rinks were vast hangout places. I remember hearing older cousins talk about how everybody used to go skating on weekends, so it really feels scary knowing something like this happened at places meant to be fun.
He skated quite well, wore flashy attire, and spoke smooth talk. He would say so many sweet words, worth small gift buys to girls, and make them feel special. Most girls were lonely or came from broken homes, so he knew well who to target or make friends with.
Later reports showed that he had sex with at least 61 girls and women in just 2 years. Some believe the count could be over 100. About 18 to 30 of those were confirmed to have HIV. One child was even born HIV positive because of this. That part hits hard because it shows how far the damage went.
In 1996, police and health officials pointed to a public disaster. They were planning to arrest McGee for knowingly transmitting HIV; however, before that could happen, he disappeared into the wilderness.
It all came to an end on January 15, 1997. When he was 28, he was driving through North St. Louis with a 15-year-old girl in his car. One man stopped him by flagging him down. When McGee rolled the window down, the man shot him at close range, searched his pockets, and ran away. The girl jumped out and escaped right after.
Police said initially that it appeared to be a case of robbery. But those from the area felt that it was revenge. Many believed that it was street justice for all the lives he ruined. After his death, almost 40 came out: at least 30 of them tested positive for HIV. Some were already pregnant when they found out.
The story was posted online years later, and many people said they had heard of him. One person admitted they remembered how good he was at skating. Another said they read about him in VIBE magazine back in 1997 and never forgot the story. Tons of people openly stated that they felt that it was vigilante justice.
Darnell McGee remained, knowing that he was sick and bad-mouthing, lying, manipulating, and abusing girls and young women. He used trust as an instrument and left behind scars that never actually healed. Even though this happened in the 1990s, it still shows how vital honesty, awareness, and protection are needed even today. It reminds people that actions do have long-lasting effects, especially when innocent lives are involved. You may also be interested in: Bucktail High School Basketball Player Xander Shearer in ICU After Tragic Accident Community Prays
