When a Classified Ad Turns into a Death Sentence
It begins innocently enough. A job posting. A date. A ride across town. But for dozens of victims across the U.S., clicking a Craigslist ad didn’t lead to opportunity—it led to ambush, terror, and murder.
Since 2007, more than 130 murders have been linked to Craigslist encounters. Beneath the platform’s blank white pages and plain hyperlinks, predators have found a digital hunting ground.
Peter Zollman, crime analyst and founder of Advanced Interactive Media Group, puts it bluntly:
“There’s barely a day without a Craigslist crime—sometimes two or three. It’s the Wild West out there.”
From teens to travelers, job seekers to escorts, no one was safe from the predators lurking behind Craigslist’s veil of anonymity. These are the most haunting stories—where everyday people walked into death traps disguised as digital classifieds.
Michael John Anderson: The Babysitter Slayer
The ad looked routine.
A woman named “Amy” was looking for a babysitter in Savage, Minnesota. She offered flexible hours and decent pay. 24-year-old Katherine Olson replied. It was 2007. Craigslist was booming. Trust was still common.
But “Amy” didn’t exist.
When Katherine arrived at the listed address, she was met by 19-year-old Michael John Anderson, a reclusive, socially awkward teen who lived in his parents’ home. Instead of interviewing her, he shot her in the back with a revolver and left her to die in the trunk of her car.
He confessed. The motive? He wanted to know what it felt like to kill someone.
Anderson became the first person officially dubbed a “Craigslist Killer.” He was sentenced to life without parole.
Richard Beasley: The Farmer of Death
To struggling men across the Midwest, the Craigslist ad was a dream:
Free room and board. $300 a week. No experience needed. Watch over a peaceful farm in rural Ohio.
But it was a lie—crafted by Richard Beasley, a 53-year-old ex-con posing as a preacher. His real goal? To rob, murder, and bury his victims.
With help from his 16-year-old accomplice Brogan Rafferty, Beasley lured at least four men to remote locations between August and November 2011. He shot and buried three of them—David Pauley, Ralph Geiger, and Timothy Kern—and left the fourth, Scott Davis, for dead.
But Davis escaped through the woods, leading authorities to the killers.
Beasley now sits on death row. Rafferty will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Philip Markoff: The Craigslist Ripper in a Suit
Philip Markoff was the golden boy. A medical student at Boston University. Engaged. Intelligent. Charming.
But in April 2009, Markoff used Craigslist’s “erotic services” section not for companionship—but for cruelty.
He booked appointments with sex workers in upscale hotels. What followed was a spree of robberies, escalating to murder. On April 14, he shot and killed Julissa Brisman, a 26-year-old aspiring actress, in a Boston Marriott.
Markoff left behind a trail of evidence: hotel surveillance, cell phone pings, email records—even blood on his shoes.
His arrest shattered his polished façade. His fiancée left him. One year later, on what would’ve been their wedding anniversary, he slit his wrists and scrawled her name in blood on his jail cell wall.
He never faced trial. But the horror he left behind still lingers in Boston’s shadows.
Craigslist and Crime: A Modern Predator’s Playground
Between 2007 and 2015, Craigslist-related murders skyrocketed. After major media coverage and public backlash, Craigslist shut down its “casual encounters” and “erotic services” sections, which accounted for most of the danger zones.
The result? A drop in reported murders—from 83 to 49 between 2016 and 2022.
But experts like Zollman say this doesn’t mean the threat is gone.
“Predators didn’t stop. They just moved to Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp, even dating apps. The crimes just have new ZIP codes.”
Craigslist may be safer now, but the Craigslist killers taught us a terrifying truth about the internet: behind every anonymous screen, danger might be waiting.
FAQs
How many murders have been linked to Craigslist?
As of recent studies, at least 131 homicides have been tied to Craigslist interactions since 2007.
Why was Craigslist so dangerous?
The platform’s open access, lack of ID verification, and anonymous email system made it easy for criminals to lure victims without being traced.
Who was the first known Craigslist killer?
Michael John Anderson, who murdered babysitter Katherine Olson in 2007, is considered the first.
Are these types of crimes still happening?
Yes—but they’ve largely shifted to other platforms like Facebook Marketplace, dating apps, and other online exchanges.
How can I protect myself when using online classifieds?
- Meet in public, well-lit places
- Don’t go alone
- Avoid accepting cash-only offers
- Trust your instincts—if something feels off, cancel immediately