Jamison Bachman: The Roommate from Hell

Investigative journalist, William Brennan, discusses his haunting story for New York Magazine. "Worst Roommate Ever." When the story appeared in the Feb 21st issue, it was an immediate viral sensation, tapping into the hidden fears and morbid fascination of millions. It's the tale of Jamison Bachman, a failed lawyer and troubled tutor, who duped dozens of tenants into agreeing to let him live with them. Each relationship starts off cordial but eventually disintegrates into psychological and ultimately physical abuse. After spending time in prison, Bachman finally snapped, murdering the person closest to him. Brennan shares the story behind the story—how he stumbled upon it, how his dogged reporting uncovered patterns unknown even to the police, and what it was like to work on a true crime story happening in real time. Hat tip to Kenny Wassus for allowing me to use interview segments from the terrific video that accompanies the story online.