He was poised for fame. Then, he vanished in the California desert.

"It was a warm September day in Palm Springs, and the sleepy desert community, known for its boutique resorts and sunny blue skies, awoke to an unusual headline in their local newspaper: "Mysterious Corpse Cannot be Identified." According to the 2005 Desert Sun article, a decomposed male body was discovered inside a vacant retail space that overlooked Tahquitz Canyon, a rugged hiking trail shaded by enormous palm trees and lined with waterfalls."

"The grisly crime story, crammed next to several mundane articles about local construction projects, senior centers and a garish patio furniture advertisement, is just under 150 words. Twenty years later, it's still one of the few pieces of documentation bearing Erker's name - but those who knew him personally said that, before his untimely death, he was a celebrated queer artist who was poised for stardom."

"In the 1970s, back when scintillating rock and disco groups like the New York Dolls and Labelle stood center stage, Erker was a talented jeweler who allegedly helped adorn some of the biggest names in entertainment. According to Nicki Camp, a rock 'n' roll style broker who owns the last remnants of Erker's collection, he made groundbreaking pieces for Cher, Billy Idol and other celebrities."

A decomposed male body was discovered in 2005 inside a vacant retail space overlooking Tahquitz Canyon in Palm Springs; authorities deemed the death likely a homicide and could not identify the corpse. The short Desert Sun report noted a man named Richard Erker living at the location and allegedly failing to pay rent. Erker had been a celebrated queer jeweler and artist in the 1970s, creating pieces for major entertainers and associated with New York's rock and disco scenes. Very little documentation of Erker's life and work exists, but anonymous uploads of black-and-white photographs have resurfaced, including images by Don Herron.

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