In the year 2000, Craigslist expanded from being a San Francisco based online want ad, to being a worldwide web portal for cheap items, housing, and darkness. It’s safe to say that 99% of all Craigslist meet ups (be they elicit, or not) are totally safe. No one gets hurt, and everybody gets what they want. But that one percent? It’s terrifying.
Almost every year you hear about a new Craigslist killer some kind of Craigslist violence. It happens so often now that even Lifetime made a movie of the week based on the real life story of Philip Markoff, a Boston Medical student who brutally murdered a woman he met on Craigslist. After reading the following stories of Craigslist transactions that led to violence, you might begin to ask yourself, is Craigslist safe? And honestly, that’s up to you decide.
According to Craigslist crime statistics, the website is linked to at least 330 crimes a year. When you think about how many Craigslist transactions happen all over the country every year, that’s a tiny percentage. But, when most of the Craigslist crimes are violent offenses you should at least think twice about answering a Craigslist ad. Police have been working on a way to deter violent criminals from using the site by suggesting that people doing Craigslist deals should just meet in the closest police station parking lot they can find. While that suggestion might seem like a finger plugging a dam, and a bit churlish, it is good advice.
After you read these stories of Craigslist encounters that went wrong, leave a comment with your crazy Craigslist story – everybody has one.
Craigslist Continues to Be a Source of Violent Crimes,
Michigan Man Attacked After Responding to Fake Craigslist Ad
When a father and son responded to an ad to buy a car in Battle Creek, MI, the last thing they expected was to be attacked by three men - but that's exactly what happened. Luckily, the father was packing heat and was able to defend himself before the men ran away.
Man Tortures Dogs He Bought on Craigslist
A 25-year-old Nevada garbage person used Craigslist to buy dogs. Sounds pretty normal until you learn that he would then take them to his “house of pain” and behead them. In 2015, he was sentenced to up to 28 years in state prison.
Woman Robbed in a Concert Tickets Deal Gone Bad
When she tried to buy tickets to an upcoming concert, a woman in Spokane, WA was robbed at gunpoint after being was lured away from her preferred, secure meeting space to an empty parking lot. Luckily, she made it out alive.
Baseball Star Sexually Assaults Craigslist Workers
In 2012, baseball legend Lenny Dykstra was arrested for sexually assaulting women whom he hired off Craigslist to clean his house. The LA city attorney explained further, saying "When the victims arrived at the locations to meet Defendant Dykstra, he would allegedly inform the women that the job also required them to give a massage and would expose himself to them. During one incident in July 2010, Defendant Dyskstra held a knife and forced the victim to massage his body."
Man Shoots, Kills Thief Who Targeted Him on Craigslist
A Colorado man got the last laugh in 2016 when two thieves posed as interested Craigslist buyers and tried rob him in his home. According to officers, two men overpowered the Craigslist poster and forced their way into his home. One of the thieves stole his car, but the homeowner managed to grab his gun and shoot the other suspect, killing him.
Husband and Wife Team Murder an Eager Craigslist Buyer
In November 2013, Miranda Barbour (19), posted a Craigslist ad offering female companionship. Troy LaFerrara responded and the two met in a parking lot.
Then, Miranda drove LaFerrara to Sunbury, PA, where she repeatedly stabbed him. Meanwhile her husband, Elytte (22), had been hiding under a blanket on the backseat floor of the car. After the stabbing, Elytte restrained LaFerrara with a piece of cable around his neck.
Allegedly, the couple was into all kinds of satanic rituals, with Miranda even claiming that she killed had at least 22 other people over the course six years - the spree motivated by her satanic cult beliefs.
Teen Slays Craigslist Nanny
In 2007, a 19-year-old man was charged with murder after he shot Katherine Ann Olson, a woman who responded to an ad he had posted, requesting the services of a nanny. Her body was found in the trunk of her car the day after her murder. Her car had been lazily stashed in a local park.
Boston University Medical Student Uses Craigslist for Dating & Murder
Philip Markoff was a Boston University med student who murdered a woman he found on Craigslist offering sensual massage. He also robbed two other women who were offering similar services on Craigslist.
He killed himself in his prison cell in 2010, slitting his wrists, wrapping his head in a plastic bag, and shoving toilet paper down his throat - after writing his fiancée's name in blood on the wall of his cell.
Craigslist Killer Stabs Woman 89 Times
Tiara Pool, a 21-year-old Navy wife whose relationship with her husband was troubled, posted a personal ad on Craigslist, looking for some company. Instead, David Kelsey Sparre replied, and stabbed her 89 times.
She was found dead in her home after her friends decided to check in on her. Sparre was incarcerated and eventually given the death penalty. While in prison, he wrote a letter to his ex-girlfriend saying, "I wanted to try something just to see how it felt.”
Man Rapes Maid That He Found on Craigslist
Michael Delgado, a 27 year old from Fullerton, CA was arrested for raping a woman who answered an ad Delgado posted for someone to clean his apartment. After his arrest, the woman told police that Delgado had kept her in his apartment and raped her for over an hour.