Monster on the Beach

Monster on the Beach

Take a deep dive with reporter John A. Torres as he brings you the gripping story of a Brevard County Florida doctor, once beloved, who leaves behind a legacy of death and destruction. A doctor who became so reprehensible, a judge labeled him "A Monster." A doctor who prescribed more Oxycodone than that of the entire state of California. A doctor who became the laughing stock of pharmacists and the prime focus of law enforcement.

Episodes

November 27, 2023 19 mins

Episode 1: Years after a notorious pill mill doctor is put out of business, violence and addiction wash over a once idyllic beachfront community.

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Episode 4: As more and more people die from Oxycodone overdoses, police begin connecting the deaths to one doctor in the area.

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November 27, 2023 23 mins

Episode 3: A Melbourne teenager falls deeper into addiction thanks to Dr. John Gayden.

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November 27, 2023 31 mins

Episode 6: A federal judge lays into the man who prescribed more opiates in six months than the state of California, calling him a “monster.”

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November 27, 2023 21 mins

Episode 2: A pill mill doctor’s office is so busy that a hot dog stand is set up to accommodate all the people waiting to get their pain pills.

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November 27, 2023 32 mins

Episode 5: Dr. Gayden uses his opiate-induced influence on underage girls.

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November 27, 2023 8 mins

Bonus episode: FLORIDA TODAY's John A. Torres explains a bit of the backstory of our journey to telling you about the Gayden case.

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