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Richard Beasley charged with Ohio craigslist killings

January 22, 2012 in Craigslist, Killers by Trench Reynolds | 3 comments

Richard Beasley

Adult in Ohio Craigslist case charged with murder:

This past Friday 52-year-old Richard Beasley was indicted for the craigslist murders of Ralph Geiger, David Pauley, and Timothy Kern. Beasley is accused of posting a phony craigslist ad for employment at a nonexistent ranch then killing the perspective applicants when they showed up.

The indictment states that Beasley was allegedly the triggerman in all 3 murders and the attempted murder of Scott Davis who was able to escape his assailant.

Beasley was being held on drug and prostitution charges while investigators worked on the murder charges.

His alleged accomplice, 16-year-old Brogan Rafferty, has been charged as an adult.

Prosecutors will be seeking the death penalty for Beasley.

Craigslist crime post #1544
Killers post #159

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Detroit backpage murder victims ID’d.

January 4, 2012 in Backpage, Killers, Prostitution/Human Trafficking by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Vernithea McCrary

Another Detroit woman identified in escort investigation:

Again I apologize in my tardiness of posting these stories.

Anyway last week prior to the new year police in Detroit named one of the women who were found in the trunk of a burning car.

Police say they have identified one of the victims as 28-year-old Vernithea McCrary. As of the time of this article police had not released the name of the other victim found with her but family members believe it is 28-year-old Natasha Curtis. Both women were found burned beyond recognition. A cause of death has yet to be announced.

As mentioned before Detroit police believe that three of the four victims, the others being Renesha Landers and Denesha Hunt, were prostitutes that advertised on the Village Voice Media owned backpage.com. Backpage, being the slimy weasels they are, are quick to point out that multiple websites were involved. That’s like the pitbull defenders who say wiener dogs maul just as many people.

You’re the top dog now Backpage and you’re foaming at the mouth while your handlers say what a good dog you are. It’s only a matter of time before you’ll have to be put down.

Backpage crime post #182
Killers post #158
Prostitution/Human Trafficking post #769

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Backpage responds to Detroit murders (through their lawyer)

December 27, 2011 in Backpage, Killers, Prostitution/Human Trafficking by Trench Reynolds | 2 comments

Statement from Backpage.com representative on Detroit murders:

Backpage released a statement through one of their attorneys in reference to the recent murders in Detroit of Demesha Hunt, Renisha Landers and two unnamed women. Three of the victims are believed to have been prostitutes that were advertised on the Village Voice Media owned backpage.com.

Here is the statement in its entirety…

“After we heard about these terrible crimes, we reached out to the Detroit Police Department, even before we heard from them, to offer assistance in the investigation. Our team has already provided the police with detailed information about the ads that the suspect or others posted on numerous web sites.

“Law enforcement authorities now have evidence that the investigation appears to connect to at least 30 different ads or other postings on at least 15 different websites, separate and distinct from ours. We are not aware of the existence of any evidence that would indicate which of these many sites were used by the suspect to establish contact with his victims.

“We have a team of more than 100 content monitors and internet experts who will continue to cooperate with the investigation and provide as much helpful information as we can.

“Backpage.com shares the concerns of law enforcement and the community that every effort be made to stop violent criminals from using the internet to commit their crimes.

Backpage has developed strong cooperative relationships with front-line state and federal police agencies nationwide, assisting with sting operations, promptly responding to subpoenas, and otherwise aiding in the identification, apprehension and prosecution of criminals.

“We do our best to provide a safe and legal environment for our customers through aggressive content monitoring and sophisticated content filtration software.

We agree with a recent USC study that recommended leveraging online technologies and datadriven information in real time to detect and apprehend online criminals.

Steve Suskin
Legal Counsel
backpage.com

Pretty much exactly as I predicted.

For those of you who aren’t fluent in bullshit please allow me to translate for you.

*AHEM*

Since this is a PR nightmare for us we decided to call the Detroit police to see how much they know to see what we could exploit in our favor.

But it wasn’t just our website. There are other websites too. So we’re not so bad if other websites do it right?

We have a guy in India who we call a monitor but he doesn’t really do much.

By ‘cooperating’ with police we are trying to establish plausible deniability.

We have so much legal paperwork in our offices we’re drowning in them.

We pay a lot of lip service saying that we monitor the content of our site but not to the point where it would eat in to our profits.

But there can be a 1000 murders and we still won’t shut down the adult section. We’re all getting filthy rich from it.

Slimy McMouthpiece
Head Weasel
Classifieds site that makes its money from the trafficking of women and children.

Backpage crime post #181
Killers post #157
Prostitution/Human Trafficking post #768

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Did a Backpage serial killer murder 4 Detroit women?

December 26, 2011 in Backpage, Killers, Prostitution/Human Trafficking by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Renesha Landers and Denesha Hunt

3 women found dead linked to escort Web site, Detroit police say:

Bodies found in Detroit linked to online ads:

Detroit police chief says 4 murders related:

Within the last week four murdered women were found in the trunks of cars in Detroit, 3 of them were reported to be escorts on the Village Voice Media owned backpage.com.

The bodies of cousins Demesha Hunt, 24, and Renisha Landers, 23, were found in the trunk of a car in December 19th. On early Christmas morning two more women were found burnt beyond recognition in the trunk of a burning car. Their names have not yet been released. It has also not been made public yet which of the three women had ads on backpage. The causes of death have also not been released. However police do believe that the incidents are connected.

Not surprisingly Village Voice Media has not yet responded to media requests for comment. I’ll save you all some time. VVM will say something to the effect that those these deaths are regrettable they are working with law enforcement. Then they’ll stick in something about how their thinly veiled prostitution ads are a first amendment right and that they’re ability to make money off the women and children that are trafficked on their site trumps the right for these women to not be murdered. Not necessarily in those words but you get the idea.

Will this new national attention on backpage get VVM to reconsider their stance on the adult ads on backpage? As long as their making money hand over fist I seriously doubt it.

Thanks to Sue and Bonnie for the tips.

Backpage crime post #180
Killers post #156
Prostitution/Human Trafficking post #767

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Teen suspect in Ohio craigslist killings to be tried as an adult

December 16, 2011 in Craigslist, Killers by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Brogan Rafferty

Craigslist suspect to be tried in adult court; teen cooperative with authorities:

16-year-old Brogan Rafferty has been charged as an adult in the Ohio craigslist slayings. Rafferty is accused, along with 52-year-old, Richard Beasley of luring 3 men to their deaths with a phony ranch hand job offer on craigslist. If his case was to go to trial he could be looking at life without parole.

Now normally I’d be all for charging a 16-year-old accused of murder as an adult but there has been so little about Rafferty’s involvement released that I’m not quite sure right now. So far the only thing I really heard about him was that he may have dug the shallow graves that the victims were found in. His father claims that Beasley led him to believe they were drainage ditches.

Anyway according to most reports it sounds like that Rafferty is going to enter into a plea deal in exchange for testifying against Beasley. I wouldn’t be surprised if that plea came with limited jail time if any.

Craigslist crime post #1535
Killers post #154

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Jury recommends death for David Sparre

December 13, 2011 in Craigslist, Killers by Trench Reynolds | No comments

David Sparre

Jury recommends death for Craigslist killer:

Today a jury in Jacksonville, Florida recommended the death sentence for David Sparre in the bloodthirsty stabbing death of Tiara Poole. The pair had met on craigslist through the personals. Sparre stabbed her to death and stole her car and several of her other possessions.

In a move not recommended by his attorney Sparre waived the right to have witnesses testify on his behalf to try to dissuade the jury from the death penalty. It seems that Sparre has consigned himself to his fate since he smiled the whole time during the reading of the jury’s recommendation.

A judge will still have the final say in Sparre’s ultimate fate but I don’t see the judge going against the jury’s recommendation but I have been wrong before.

If the death sentence is delivered Sparre will have the luxury of just going to sleep permanently instead of being ferociously stabbed almost 90 times like his victim.

Craigslist crime post #1534
Killers post #153

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John Katehis sentenced for murder of George Weber

December 13, 2011 in Craigslist, Killers by Trench Reynolds | No comments

John Katehis perp walk

Brooklyn teen John Katehis gets 25 years to life in prison for murder of ABC reporter George Weber:

John Katehis was 16 in 2009 when he brutally murdered New York radio personality George Weber by stabbing him to death over 50 times. Today the self-proclaimed satanist learned today that he will spend 25 years to life behind bars.

During the sentencing hearing Katehis made an alleged apology.

“For the death of George Weber, I am sorry,” he said. “I regret it.”

That’s a load of crap. Katehis was the one who put the craigslist ad out there offering himself for sexual liaisons with older men with the purpose of making someone a victim. (Previously I had posted that Weber placed the ad but I was incorrect.)

You smiled and winked during your interrogation, you showed up to court with satanic scribbling on your shoes and you tried to get money out of the New York media for your statement. As usual with scum like this you’re only sorry that you got caught. You’re not such a badass now are you?

Craigslist crime post #1533
Killers post #152

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Ohio craigslist killings post for 12/7/2011

December 7, 2011 in Craigslist, Killers by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Richard Beasley

I know I’ve been behind so today I’ll be posting the updates on this story in daily posts as I get them. This post may be updated throughout the day.

Texas OK’d Craigslist suspect release:

Authorities in Texas allowed Richard Beasley to remain free after he violated his parole in Ohio on drug charges. Texas was only interested in bringing Beasley back there if he was convicted on the Ohio drug charges. While this is unfortunate Texas could not have known that Beasley was going to go on to allegedly kill three people.

***

Craigslist shootings suspect back in Akron court, pleads not guilty in prostitution case:

Beasley pleaded not guilty to the prostitution charges against him. If you’ll recall he is accused of profiting from prostitution. Allegedly 14 people were under his employ including a 17-year-old girl.

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3rd Body Possibly Tied to Craigslist Ad Identified:

The 3rd fatality possibly connected to the craigslist killings has been officially identified as 56-year-old Ralph Geiger of Akron.

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Craigslist serial murder suspect faces death-penalty trial in Summit County:

As you can surmise by the headline prosecutors in Summit County, Ohio have announced that they will seek the death penalty against Beasley.

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Possible 3rd Ohio Craigslist Victim Died in August:

Investigators say that Ralph Geiger was murdered back in August which could make him the first victim of the craigslist murder scam.

Craigslist crime post #1531
Killers post #151

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Ohio craigslist murder suspect defends his name in letter to press

December 5, 2011 in Craigslist, Killers by Trench Reynolds | No comments

Richard Beasley

Akron man suspected in Craigslist killings defends reputation in letter to Beacon Journal:

52-year-old Richard Beasley of Akron, Ohio is the primary suspect in the murder of 3 men in Ohio that responded to a phony craigslist ad offering employment at a fictitious ranch. Beasley has not yet been charged with any of the murders but had been charged previously with drug trafficking and profiting from prostitution. Beasley recently sent a letter to the Akron Beacon Journal defending his ‘good name’.

“ … to call me a con man when I sacrificed for others is wrong,” Beasley wrote. “To turn their back on me is not following Christ’s example. I gave three full years of my life to that ministry and what I got out of it was the satisfaction of doing the right thing.

“There was no ‘con’ to it.”

“Who paid for this? I did,” he wrote. “I had a financial settlement [from a traffic crash that injured his back] and spent most all of it to help others and got almost no financial help from anyone.”

Beasley also wrote that he spent three years on the church staff helping people, mostly drug addicts, alcoholics, the mentally challenged and the homeless who were charged with a crime and facing the possibility of prison.

He said he appeared in court on behalf of defendants three to four times a month for three years. After just one year of work, he was ordained by the church pastor, the Rev. Randy Baker, as a chaplain.

“I was very well-known for these things, but never looked for credit on this Earth,” Beasley wrote. “A number of people from doctors and judges and lawyers and preachers and the homeless can stand witness to these facts.”

While helping drug addicts, he made drug dealers unhappy, he said. While helping domestic violence victims, he angered spouses. At times, he had to “sanction” people who violated rules at his transitional home, he said.

“The point is, I have enemies, but for the right reasons,” he wrote. “So when you quote someone as a family friend who says something horrible about me, you better believe that’s not a family friend.”

“I lived in an old, inner-city house, drove old cars, got up in the middle of the night uncountable times to answer calls for help,” he wrote. “I gave away almost all I had and got almost nothing in return. That is not the actions of a con man.”

Except one could argue that con men and grifters have a long history of using churches and religion to perpetrate their cons. I only have to go as far as mentioning the so-called Christian Missionaries working in Africa who have fleeced so many people out of money through craigslist.

Right now the details surrounding Beasley make me think that he fits the description of con man to a T.

Craigslist crime post #1531
Killers post #151

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David Sparre convicted in craigslist killing of Tiara Pool

December 2, 2011 in Craigslist, Killers by Trench Reynolds | 4 comments

David Sparre

Man convicted in Craigslist murder of Navy wife:

In July of last year 20-year-old David Sparre was arrested for the brutal stabbing death of Tiara Pool in Jacksonville, Florida. The pair had met on craigslist either through the personals or casual encounters. Today justice was served as Sparre was convicted of first degree murder.

Tiara Pool was a 21-year-old mother of two who was married to man serving in the Navy but they were having marital problems. She met Sparre through craigslist and during their encounter Sparre stabbed her 89 times with part of the blade breaking off in her skull. Sparre also stole some of her possessions including her car, a Playstation and a wireless router.

Sparre’s attorney admitted that Sparre killed Tiara but tried arguing that Sparre blacked out upon finding out that Tiara was married. Does this actually happen outside of soap operas? Thankfully the jury didn’t buy it and handed down a guilty verdict.

Sparre is more than eligible for the death penalty. The sentencing phase is set to take place starting December 13th.

Is it me or does it look like he’s taken well to prison life. Compare his mugshot to the picture above from his trial. He’s got the teardrop tattoos and the Vanilla Ice eyebrows.

Hopefully his stay in prison before a date with the needle will be a short one.

Craigslist crime post #1530
Killers post #150

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