"Nice Guy Must Die": Gym Killer's Shocking Date Tape

By: Neil Katz
Topics: Caught on Tape

PITTSBURGH (CBS/AP) Where did George Sodini, the man who murdered three women and injured many more in an aerobics class shoot out near Pittsburgh, get his ideas about women?

No one can know all of his influences, but one of the men Sodini learned from was self-proclaimed relationship guru, R. Don Steele, who has books, tapes, and seminars teaching middle-aged men how to succeed with much younger women.

In an online video that surfaced last week, but was shot at least a year ago, Sodini can be seen sitting in rapt attention at one of R. Don Steele's dating classes. Erin Micklow, an aspiring model and actress, who helped Steele with the class, also confirmed Sodini's attendance to Crimesider.

"Nothing stood out compared to the other men in the class," she said. "He just didn't really know how to interact with women."

In the tape, Steele tells a group of men to get over their fears of approaching women and to stop being such nice guys all the time, claiming the "nice guy must die."

At no point in the video does Steele talk about violence against women and there is no evidence to suggest Steele had any contact with Sodini other than as one of many students who attended the class.

Steele does pontificate on what to do when you encounter a woman who "thinks she's hot (expletive) and everyone is kissing her (expletive) trying to go out with her." The secret is to insult her shoes.

Steele did not respond to interview requests made via email and telephone.

Photos: George Sodini and His Rage Against Women

The advice and the self-help book evidently didn't do anything to improve Sodini's love life.

Embittered by his decades-long inability to attract the opposite sex, the 48-year-old computer analyst opened fire on a women's aerobics class in the Pittsburgh suburbs on Aug. 4, 2009. He killed three women and wounded nine.

In an eerie moment on the tape, Steele tells his acolytes, "Your job is to make yourself memorable. Make her remember your name."

Heidi Overmier, 46, of Carnegie, Jody Billingsley, 37, of Mount Lebanon, and Elizabeth Gannon, 49, of Pittsburgh, all gunned down in their prime.

Those are the names to remember.

PREVIOUSLY ON CRIMESIDER
August 10, 2009 - Gym Killer Was Devoted Follower of Dating Guru
August 10, 2009 - Pa. Health Club Massacre: The Women's Stories
August 7, 2009 - You are Giving Gym Killer What He Wants... So Are We
August 6, 2009 - Pa. Health Club Killer George Sodini's Disturbing Youtube Video
August 6, 2009 - Inside the Twisted Mind of the Health Club Killer
August 5, 2009 - "Why Do This to Young Girls?" Did Sick Online Diary Foreshadow Health Club Slaughter
August 5, 2009 - Fit for Murder: Gunman Shoots Up Pa. Fitness Club

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by rinaldi40 August 28, 2009 6:53 PM EDT: this is the reaction to the INDIFFERNCE white woman show a nice white man in this country..woman in this country have no morals..they are spoled and perverted..this is a man who didnt want to take it anymore..i think more incidents like this will happen...; Reply to this comment


by rzimmer26 August 14, 2009 9:55 PM EDT: First of all, I think that a lot of the comments posted so far have been bizarre and obnoxious. Concerning the shooter, I think that he should have actively sought counseling once he was fantasizing and planning to shoot people. I feel sympathetic to both the shooter and his victims. It seems like he had difficulty in being able to distinguish between reality and fantasy. It is just a tragic story all around.; Reply to this comment


by TyroneHoglegg August 14, 2009 11:36 AM EDT: Yeah, that's it...insult her shoes...works like an aphrodisiac. Now if you really want her to go insane and jump you, tell her that her arse has it's own zip code. Another good one.; Reply to this comment

by johndevinejr August 14, 2009 10:35 AM EDT

He should have just shot himself, that would have sloved the problem.

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by rzimmer26 August 14, 2009 10:02 PM EDT: Although I understand your anger, I do not think that suicide is the solution. He should have sought (or been referred to) mental health assistance. He was a lonely, angry man who was stewing in his own neurosis who decided to commit this horrible act.


by traffic101 August 12, 2009 1:16 PM EDT: (wwudiver)In defense of the journalist who wrote this article...you are reading "Crimesider" which is about crime. There was a murder, so therefore a story. I don't see anywhere the comparison's you are referring to and i think the journalist did a fine job reporting what happened as they saw it.

Second, all pretty American women are not obnoxious, etc. Don't judge a book by it's cover.

Third, the story was interesting to me because i happen to know a few men who are obsessed with "having" a young and beautiful woman.
One of which is still trying at age 55 to get the youngest he can(which he is always setting himself up for failure, so lives his life in a sad state) He doesn't even realize he has champagne taste but a beer pocket book. Why do these average guys think they can get a 10? Beats me? These guys need to take a look in the mirror and maybe the girl next door. Yeah, i want to win the lottery too, but i'm not going to kill someone if i don't get that "dream" money. This guy was sick.; Reply to this comment


by hellosopo August 12, 2009 1:09 PM EDT: Nice misleading headline, CBS. Good job with the fear campaign.; Reply to this comment


by hennighg August 12, 2009 12:43 PM EDT: Let this be a lesson: women don't WANT nice guys. The legal-prostitution idea is a good one. Then dummies like this guy can at least keep the cap on their frustrations.
I know women are supposed to be liberated, but they won't really be until they can just say that they like masculine guys. Nice has nothing to do with anything. Until 7 and after 70, sure. Nice guys are good. In between, manly guys. This stupid jerk couldn't figure out the most basic of human relations. It's just sad that he took people with him.; Reply to this comment


by kueiW August 12, 2009 12:11 PM EDT: Alot of crybabies reporting around here, huh? Got thin skin? Call the cops...or your mommies. Stupid americans!; Reply to this comment


by pw08-2009 August 12, 2009 11:25 AM EDT: Bottom line is, you will not get most American women unless you have money. Foreign wmen are generaly much more attractive, smart and real and men are starting to see the light. Plus many American women are too involved with their phones which is really bizarre and strange, so why would anyone be interested in robots who live by what they read in People magazine and text all day?; Reply to this comment


by wwudiver August 12, 2009 10:59 AM EDT: This is the most ridiculous and yellow piece of journalism I have ever read. Taking a class on how to deal with pretty obnoxious American women (who, with exceptions, really are much more difficult and spoiled than other women in the world) out of context is ridiculous. As the class goes, if it were wrong, Donald Trump would (and by all rights should be) a virgin.

Trump gets by with money and being slightly insulting to models, whom he occasionally marries. No one suspects Trump of being capable of walking into a gym and committing the most heinous acts possible? C'mon, being snotty and successful with women has nothing to do with being a psycho killer. The journalist should be sued for libel and defamation by Steele. Shame CBS for printing this trash.; Reply to this comment