Fact Check: Did ‘The Wolfman’ Really Assault Two Burglars in Florida?

The viral story of a Florida predator named Harry Harrington and two unfortunate thieves is a modern urban legend. Here is the truth behind the hoax.

It reads like the ultimate tale of instant karma: two burglars break into a house, only to discover they have targeted a 6’7”, 300-pound serial predator who overpowers them and subjects them to five days of abuse. The story of “The Wolfman” has circulated on social media for years, often accompanied by gritty mugshots and sensational headlines.

However, despite its popularity and the satisfying narrative of “the hunter becoming the hunted,” the story is completely false.

Here is a breakdown of the facts, the origins of the myth, and why you shouldn’t believe the hype.

The Viral Legend

According to the circulating story, two thieves, identified as Garfield Morgan and Kim Gorton, broke into a home in Florida, intending to rob it. The narrative claims they unknowingly chose the residence of Harry Harrington, a notorious sexual predator known as “The Wolfman.”

The story alleges that Harrington, a towering, muscular figure, easily subdued the intruders, tied them up, and sexually assaulted them for five days. The tale concludes with the police arriving only after neighbours heard cries for help, finding the burglars traumatised and Harrington unfazed.

The Reality: Why the Story is a Hoax

While the story has been shared millions of times, a simple fact-check reveals it is a fabrication from start to finish.

1. The Source is a Tabloid Known for Fiction

The story originated in 2016 from the Sunday Sport, a British tabloid famous for publishing outlandish and completely fabricated stories (such as “World War II Bomber Found on the Moon”). The publication does not adhere to journalistic standards of factuality and is often classified as soft satire or entertainment (Mikkelson, 2016).

2. The Names are Pop Culture References

The names of the “burglars” are a giveaway to British audiences. Garfield Morgan was a well-known British actor, famous for playing DCI Frank Haskins in the 1970s police drama The Sweeney. Kim Gorton is likely a derivative name referencing the district of Gorton in Manchester (where actor John Thaw, Morgan’s co-star, was born). The use of these names suggests the author was winking at the audience, hinting that the story was a joke.

3. The Mugshot Does Not Belong to “Harry Harrington”

The menacing mugshot attached to the story—purported to be “The Wolfman”—actually belongs to a man named Michael Patrick Gagne. Gagne is indeed a convicted criminal, but he is a sex offender from Michigan, not Florida, and his arrest photos have been repurposed to fit this fictional narrative (Mikkelson, 2016).

4. No “Harry Harrington” in Florida Records

There are no police reports in Florida matching the details of this event. A search of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s sex offender database yields no results for a “Harry Harrington” fitting the description in the viral post (Florida Department of Law Enforcement, n.d.).

“Harry Harrington” is a Real Name, But Not This Person

While the character in the story is fictional, the name “Harry Harrington” does belong to real people, which can cause confusion during fact-checking.

For instance, a Harry Harrington provided a witness statement to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in 2019. This individual is a former member of the Christian Brothers religious order who gave evidence regarding the investigation into residential care in Scotland (Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, 2019).

It is important to clarify that this individual has no connection to the viral Florida story. The use of the name in the tabloid piece is likely a coincidence or a generic choice, unrelated to the witness involved in the Scottish inquiry.

Conclusion

The story of Harry “The Wolfman” Harrington is a complete fabrication. There was no break-in, no five-day hostage situation, and no such predator living in that Florida home. It is a recycled piece of tabloid fiction that utilises real mugshots of unrelated people to create a sensational narrative.

Always verify the source of “too wild to be true” crime stories before sharing them.

References

1. Florida Department of Law Enforcement. (n.d.). Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators Search. Retrieved from https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/home.jsf
2. Mikkelson, D. (2016, October). FACT CHECK: Did a ‘Gay Predator’ Raping Two Burglars? Snopes. Retrieved from https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/harry-harrington/
3. Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. (2019). Harry Harrington Witness Statement. Retrieved from https://www.childabuseinquiry.scot/evidence/harry-harrington-witness-statement