Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Craigslist Killer

by Felicia Donovan

I've been closely following the unfolding events that led to the arrest of Philip Markoff, a 22-year old, second-year student at Boston University's School of Medicine on charges of murdering at least one, if not several women, hired from a Craigslist ad for "massage services." This blonde, clean-cut, All-American medical student has stunned the nation - emerging as a potential serial killer.

While many including his fiancee, still refute the charges and maintain Markoff's innocence, anyone who has any experience in cyber crime investigations knows that the evidence in this type of case will be very difficult to dispel.

Sunday night, my Cyber Crime Fighters: Tales from the Trenches, co-author, Det. Kristyn Bernier, and I received a request from Fox Worldwide News for an interview. We were unable to provide it because of circumstances, however, had we been able to make a statement, we would have focused on the mounting digital evidence pointing to Markoff.

The Digital Trail

Remember that just about everything you do on a computer is traceable. This includes viewing Craigslist Ads. This includes sending text messages via a cell phone to confirm an appointment for a massage.

According to reports, Police traced the Internet communications with the victim, Julissa Brisman, to an e-mail account opened the day before her death. Using Internet provider information, they found the computer was at Markoff's residence in Quincy, Massachusetts. That computer will be forensically examined and just about everything it was ever used for will be traced.

Then there's the digital video evidence. It's a fact of life that we are often under closed-circuit video surveillance in more and more public places. This includes the McDonald's you get your Happy Meals at, as well as hotel lobbies, halls and corridors like the one in Boston where the meet was arranged. The video evidence keeps building.

Above and beyond the digital evidence is an emerging trail of physical evidence including items found in Markoff's apartment like panties from two of the victims and a handgun - located in a hollowed out copy of Gray's Anatomy.

The irony here is that as mystery authors, we would never write a story with such irrefutable evidence. If anyone can think of a twist in this story to prove Markoff is innocent, hats off to their creativity because right now, the ending to this particular horrific and bloody tale seems cast in stone...

10 comments:

Sue Ann Jaffarian said...

If this were fiction, all this mounting and obvious evidence would signal a set-up. But this is real and it signals a real life killer. It will be interesting to follow.

Craig's list is used a lot by lower-end erotic service providers of all types, especially those working independently. I did a lot of research and interviews using it when I wrote my first Odelia Grey book, which has a prostitution side angle, and since for a stand alone book I'm currently working on. I've heard some harrowing stories from women who'd been robbed and slapped around by their customers. But I've also heard some pretty scary stories about customers being robbed and threatened, sometimes at gun point, by the women and/or their "body guards." Amazing stuff. I'm surprised something like this hasn't happened sooner.

On a fun note, I used Craig's list when I adopted my two cats several years back. It's not all bad and threatening.

Jessica Lourey said...

Felicia, you continually impress me with your technical knowledge, which comes through so well in your book (your fiction--I'm guessing it also plays a part in your nonfiction ;)) and gives you an added edge over most mystery authors. We're lucky to have you at Midnight Ink!

Terri Thayer said...

Great post! Thanks for the inside information.It's interesting to watch the people in his life be so believably adamant about this guy as the evidence of his double life mounts up. As a writer, I'm fascinated by the way people can fool those closest to them.

Felicia Donovan said...

Sue Ann, I'm not sure I want to know how much "research" you did in "Too Big To Miss" because I remembered thinking "Hmmmm... I wonder how she knows about all of this..."


Jess, thanks and back at you, Sweetie!

Terri, I agree. These "characters" are larger than life and absolutely fascinating. I go back to my law enforcement days whereby the adage, "The enemy you know is less dangerous than the enemy you don't know" rings so true...

Alan Orloff said...

Fascinating post.

Whenever I see a story like this, I always think, "How stupid (and twisted) is that guy/girl/troll?"

But I guess most criminals are not "masterminds." Do people actually believe they can get away with heinous stuff like this? (I know, I know, many do, but still...)

Feeding the Grey Cells said...

I would much rather read a book than watch the news anyday....for this exact reason.

feedingthegreycells.blogspot.com

Sue Ann Jaffarian said...

Funny thing, Felicia. People never ask me how I know about lunch boxes or corn mazes or even hit men, but they always want to know how I researched prostitution and erotic web cams. People love to be titillated and are drawn to taboos. You watch, the public will follow the Craigslist Killer with more attention than they will often muster for issues that affect them directly.

Cricket McRae said...

Fascinating info, Felicia -- would loved to have seen you interviewed.

This guy, just looking at him, reminds me a bit of Ted Bundy. I bet he's charming as all get out, too.

Felicia Donovan said...

Cricket, you're absolutely right about the Ted Bundy comment. I did not mention the gambling addiction which is coming to light as the investigation continues, but obviously there is much more to this story and it will all unfold...

Oh, Sue Ann, just give and tell us - What did you REALLY do for research for Odelia? Of course we want to know! Forget swine flu and global warming and fess up!

Julia Buckley said...

Very interesting! I'd love to know more about what might compel a young man like this to do what he did. I bought the PEOPLE magazine about it, but of course they don't give the kind of information that I'm looking for--what I want is to interview the man himself. :0

Sue-Ann, I got my cats using Craigslist, too! And they're very cute.