“Oh God, I am dying; somebody please help me!” These were the last words of Ronald “Sonny” Kenneth Antonevitch before his death on April 15th, 1981. Two days earlier, Antonevitch was leisurely sunbathing at Little River, Durham, N.C., before he became the target of a homophobic attack that ultimately claimed his life.

His murder became the catalyst for the LGBTQ+ rights movement in North Carolina, starting as the first pride march in the state’s history before becoming the iconic Durham pride parade celebrated by many residents today. While Antonevitch has primarily been remembered for the impact of his death, his legacy in life remains largely forgotten, with his body currently buried in an unmarked grave.

Antonevitch was born to a single mother in Middlesex County, M.A., on November 9th, 1935. He entered the foster system at only 10 days old.

“He was abused by being pulled under a wagon which was loaded with firewood,” wrote his wife in her book published years after his death. “He bent over backwards not to be abusive, but to be loving, caring.”

At age 14, he lodged at the Leger Family Farm before he left the state.

Shortly after, Antonevitch moved to the California foster care system as his biological mother, Helen Antonevitch, and step-father intended to adopt him. His step-father, however, later died in a car accident. Antonevitch stayed in the foster care system until he turned 18 years old.

At 19, Antonevitch moved to Mebane, N.C., working for a mobile home company. He later met his soon-to-be wife, Patricia Connor, at Wayne Community College.

“They met at an instructor’s wedding. After which they went to the local waffle shop for a snack and a talk,” wrote Connor. “They had a whirlwind courtship and marriage.”

On September 17th, 1977, the Antonevitches introduced the newest addition to their family, Vincent Joseph “VJ” Antonevitch. VJ was diagnosed with Coffin-Lowry Syndrome, a genetic disorder causing intellectual disability and abnormal physical development. VJ also had hydrocephalus, a condition characterized by fluid buildup in the brain, alongside otitis media, the inflammation of the ear drums, and scoliosis, a spinal deformity that causes the spine to curve sideways.

Additionally, VJ’s parents were also disabled. Patricia had a speech impediment as a child and difficulty reading.

“She would say ‘fodder’ (cow feed) for father or ‘wibbit’ for rabbit,” wrote Patricia. “Still today, if she talks too fast instead of slow, people cannot understand her.”

Before his death, Ronald suffered from atherosclerosis, where blood flow is restricted due to plaque build-up in the arteries. He also had a prosthetic valve and took anticoagulants.

In the spring of 1981, one week after Ronald’s open heart surgery, Chris Lee Richardson and Guy Charles Osbahr clubbed Ronald to death.

Mark Demarias and Jerry “Michael” Penny were the first to be assaulted by Richardson and Osbahr. Richardson struck both Penny and Demarias with a stick, shouting homophobic slurs as they tried to escape.

“There was some altercation that had occurred before I had gotten there and redneck trash, I mean just redneck trash, they said, ‘you’re going to that queer water hole’. And I said, ‘no, man, no, I’m straight.'” said Penny during an interview with the Durham Voice. “They knocked out a lot of my teeth and cracked all the other ones. And I’ve had to deal with that all my life.”

Afterwards, Richardson and Osbahr approached Antonevitch before striking him in the head and in the side. Due to his recent procedure, Antonevitch could not defend himself as Richardson and Osbahr beat him and held his head under the water.

The head trauma as a result of the assault caused a blood vessel in Antonevitch’s brain to burst, forming a blood clot that placed pressure on his brain. His brain then swelled so severely that Antonevitch would die two days later of a cerebral edema, or the excessive swelling of the brain. He died at 46 years old.

Richardson and Osbahr were arrested and charged, the incident sparking outrage in the local community, particularly among LGBTQ+ residents.

“After it was reported in the newspaper, there was a great deal of empathy. And you can be very proud of the way Durham responded,” said Penny. “There were editorials, people writing to the paper, and they were all mixed. Liberal Durham came through.”

On April 24th, 1981, more than 150 people protested the Little River incident at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This demonstration would be considered “the first gay pride march in the history of North Carolina,” according to the-then Carolina Gay Association Chairman Lee Mullis.

Osbahr was convicted for involuntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon. He was sentenced to serve 8 years in prison.

Richardson was convicted for second degree murder, armed robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon– ultimately receiving a life sentence. Richardson is currently serving his term at the Brown Creek Correctional Institution in Polkton, N.C.

Ronald was survived by his wife and son. Thanks to Patricia’s advocacy, VJ thrived in spite of his father’s absence. At eighteen, VJ stayed in Christopher Road before being transferred to the Murdoch Developmental Center, a care facility for those with intellectual disabilities. VJ attended classes at Ridgeway, a college located on Murdoch’s campus. He died on April 14th, 2005, just one day before the 24th anniversary of his father’s death, as a result of pneumonia complicated by a cardiac arrest episode. He was only 27 years old.

Patricia famously fought for disability rights, later publishing a biography in 2019 chronicling VJ’s life as a disabled person titled “A Portrait of Vj’s Insight: Vj Antonevitch’s Journal”. She passed away peacefully at 79 years old on December 28th, 2019.

Though Antonevitch himself is left behind by Durham’s history, the impact of his death is felt saliently to this day. Penny remains as the last living victim and witness to the incident at Little River. He still remembers the day Richardson and Osbahr attacked him and Demarias and what followed after.

“I went to the hospital. And they sewed me up. And while I was there, that’s when I heard Ronald Antonevitch in the next room, screaming. At first I thought it was fake. Like, ‘oh God, get over it girl.’ But when you saw him, it was just horrible,” Penny said. “From what I understand, what I’ve been told is that they came across Ronald Antonevitch, who like I said, had open heart surgery, so he didn’t have a chance. And they held his head underwater and they assaulted him.”

Little River, once a cultural hotspot for the gay community in Durham, changed forever after that fateful day.

“I went back maybe, well, about a year and a half ago just to see that spot. But no one goes there. They were too afraid,” Penny said. “It was a loss for the community in a big way. I mean, that place was just happening in such a fun, wholesome way.”

Recognizing the sacrifices of those who make the Durham LGBTQ+ community what it is today is the best way to honor their legacy, he said.

“For the longest time now, I have been the sole survivor of this thing. Since like 1995, so I feel a certain responsibility to it. I think if you recognize that gay pride started because of that time indicates to me, at least, that some of my efforts are worth it.”

Ronald’s memory can be honored at his grave, which is located at the Hebron Community Church Cemetery in Alamance County. He is located at Row N, Plot #43.

Correction made on March 5, 2025: In a previous iteration of this article, it was stated that Richardson and Osbahr saw Penny earlier on the trail and said “they saw me [referring to Penny].” This is incorrect. Richardson and Osbahr only encountered Penny at the trail past the waterhole and only said: “You’re going to that queer waterhole”.