Haines was blackmailed for over 9 years by a man named Sanders who performed as Sandu, the Leopard Man. Haines couldn't take it any more and decided to kill Sanders, using the leopard claws on his costume. He then took the costume to disguise himself and set Sander's pet free to make his death look like an accident. He was shot in a sting set up by police investigator Sally O'Neil, when he tried to murder her using the Leopard Man costume.