Craigslist Used in Deadly Ploy to Lure Victims in Ohio

Craigslist Used in Deadly Ploy to Lure Victims in Ohio

www.nytimes.com

AKRON, Ohio -They were men thrown hard against the rocks of bad fortune -out of work, their marriages broken, their youth, with its possibilities, behind them.To their eyes, the advertisement on Craigslist, offering $300 a week, a free trailer and unlimited fishing to “watch over a 688 acre patch of hilly farmland and feed a few cows,” may have seemed like a sign that their luck was finally turning.

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Fla. Craigslist jobseeker found dead in Ohio grave

That is where the opportunity for a positive,productive job offer turned into cold-blooded murder for these innocent employment seekers.

In a shocking turn of events two middle-aged Men replying to a Craig's list Advertisement for a farm hand job were lured to their deaths.
It is now believed they have discovered a third body that could be linked with the other the two murders with the possibility of more bodies to be found.

This is just utterly despicable & sickening! I just cannot believe someone could do this to people,I just don't see how you could lack so much empathy or be filled with such greed to kill another human being.

I feel sorry for these men but especially now for their families who now have to continue to live on,grieving with the memories of what has happened.

My heart goes out to them.

www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by PerfectPerception

I just don't see how you could lack so much empathy or be filled with such greed to kill another human being.

Really? You dont see how human beings can be human beings? We have always been violent, killing creatures.Don't say you dont have it in you to kill another human. All it takes is the right circumstances to bring that instinct back up.

Justified or not, Death is death and Killing is killing. We can slap a bunch of different definitions on the circumstances, but the action is the same.

Theres no point in being shocked about it either. Sure its pretty bad, but were you surprised to hear about this? Imagine someone jumps out behind a corner and goes "Boo!". Sure its shocking, but after ten thousand of them. Well, you just aint gonna be surprised.

That is just crazy. I would honestly need an upgrade over a trailer to be lured to Ohio.

I wanted to add this to the op but I ran out of room,so here is the rest -

Instead, in a scheme so macabre that residents here are already speculating on when it will be turned into a movie script, three of the four men, one from Virginia, one from the Akron area and one still unidentified, were lured to their deaths, their bodies buried in shallow graves.

The fourth man, from South Carolina, who was hired and driven to the property in rural southern Ohio, was shot in the arm but escaped and alerted the authorities. The “farm” was in fact land owned by a coal company.

More bodies may still be found, as the bogus advertisement, which was picked up by online job aggregators, drew more than 100 responses from Ohio and other states.

The initial story was briefly touched upon on Ats which can be found here - Fla. Craigslist jobseeker found dead in Ohio grave

I felt as though not only did it deserve to get a proper mention but to also post this update with the newly discovered body.

This is a horribly tragic case and these monsters need to pay for what they have done,the irrevocable,life-sustaining damage,hurt and anguish the victims families will suffer with for the rest of their lives.

To the men that lost their lives who honorably were only seeking to put food on the table,to support their children & their wives,that their deaths were not in vain.

I can only hope that one day their families will eventually find closure and peace.

reply to post by TsukiLunar


I have yet to get to the point that you speak of,am I capable of it? I am sure anything is possible,as you've said "given the right circumstances".

under different circumstances like self defense or protecting my loved ones? Yeah...I could kill in defense of my own life or of those I love and care for dearly.

But...

cold blooded,preplanned,repeated murder? NO. I would not do that,that is what I meant,not is it a shock,for nothing truly surprises me anymore,not now.With the way the world is and the direction it continues to increasing catapult it's self into I not surprised.

Maybe I'm different but I can honestly and sincerely say no I would not murder someone,I have to disagree with you there,just because our supposed history of war,hate & strife caused by our human predisposition to covet,steal and kill does not mean I need to lead my life with the crutch of it's 'In our nature'

Not a good enough excuse,nor is any for that matter,ever.
Unless defending ones self or loved ones.

I could of used another expression besides 'shocking' but it still wouldn't change the fact that it is a disgrace of what I define and ultimately believe is to be human,We have so much more potential than this.

reply to post by PerfectPerception


I didnt say murder. I said kill.

reply to post by TsukiLunar


I answered that question then.
I could only see myself killing in self defense. either of myself or my family/loved ones.

There is always a choice.

I've been at the lowest of the low,So I do speak from experience.I know what it feels like to not have nothing or know when I will get my next meal,where I will lay my head for the night.I never killed for my want or need,some do.

I still find that to be wrong on every moral,spiritual,physical/psychological level you can come up with...Besides self preservation and for the passionate love & protection of those who I love & cherish......for those I'd lay down my life.

About 5 years ago, I remember everyone in Southern Ohio being paranoid to drive late at night. A gang used to initiate new members by having them get people to pull off the side of the road and then killing them. They would always do this by tailgating you and flashing their headlights on and off like it was an emergency.

Sad, but boy did I have fun with this at the time with my g/f back then. I would call her around 2am saying their's a vehicle behind me flashing his lights. Mean, I know. But trust me, she deserved it at times.

Ohio seems to keep going down the hole every year. In my town alone, it is divided up into 3 sections. Whites, blacks, and mexicans. All at war with each other. It's so bad they have a curfew now. We also can't be in each others sections after that curfew or we get escorted back by police if caught.

What sucks is, when I grew up in the town, it wasn't like that at all. In recent years prostitution has picked up and now boys from Toledo and Dayton (very bad boys) are settling in and the violence is getting even more out of hand. I've already seen quite a few families move out of state because of it, including my own sister.

Originally posted by TsukiLunar
reply to post by PerfectPerception

 

I didnt say murder. I said kill.

You actually said: "Justified or not, Death is death and Killing is killing. We can slap a bunch of different definitions on the circumstances, but the action is the same."


I agree, the action is the same, but the consequences and ripple affects are not, so to deem the actions the same is ignorant, at least. . . Me standing on an innocent little spider is me been a little bit silly and soft.
Somebody going out and killing another innocent human being, is cold blooded murder. Although if you mean, as an example: A soilder doing his duty is classed as killing but is still murder, i agree - they just dont call it murder to keep the moral/recruitment going.

seems that your making out like we're bread to kill, like its human nature to kill. We do have the ability to kill, thats not an argument. The actual matter is that we dont live in the med evil times no more, we live in a civilized world where people who do murder, have serious personal issues or are living somewhere thats not civilized and these actions are not frowned upon (honor killings "murder",etc)

Im not going to lie, i would kill a person for certain reasons, e.g if that person killed one of my family members - im not strong enough to forgive them or just let our courts deal with them, i would murder them. but after the intial action, id regret it. We see violence all over TV, movies etc and how people deal with things. . if we didnt get # thrown down our throats like murder, i highly doubt people like me would respond with "id kill them if they killed my mum" etc . And maybe they wouldnt want to murder my mum if they didnt get shown the # they see, or round the people they are etc.

It's a scary messed up world out there. I'm not actually really that surprised by this. But feel for the men who died and their families.

The internet has been used to lure victims, from rape, to fraud, to murder before and it will likely happen again. It's not something that is just in the movies or books, it actually happens.

Regardless of motives, these guys are serial killers plain and simple.

I'm wondering whether the older guy has killed before, on his own, using a similar method to lure victims...Then, older experienced guy taking on a young accomplice teaching him all he knows.

The person that did this is not unique or uncommon. They are a serial killer. This is just a different ploy to the same sick and tragic end.

With the "popularity" iof serial killers on TV, news stories, and even as infamous "folk heroes"...aka Jack the Ripper... I don't see why this story suprises you. Further, this sort of acctivity is not isolated to Ohio or anywhere else, ...it is everywhere else. Coast to coats and nationwide....worldwide.

The thing that facinates me and disgusts me at the same time is how these individuals do the deed without anymore thought than taking out the trash... just totally impervious to the moral emptiness they express in taking another life.

As such, it is important to each of us, as potential prey, to be cautious and careful in all activities outside of the norm.

My heart and thoughts go out to these victims and families.

the products of a culture that glorifies death and violence..

doubt they will get much prison time with how lenient the 'justice' system is there.

suspect they will find many more that were murdered in cold blood before its over.

condolences to the victims families and friends..

reply to post by PerfectPerception


Star and a flag ! That is a wicked story. I was aware that something like this would be easy to pull off on Craigslist. People need to wake up to the reality of the times they're involved in. There are several other job
offerings on Craigslist that seemed suspicious to me. I was interested in one that paid a one way fair to No.
Canada, by plane, to work on a pipeline. Couldn't see my self applying for that one on my own.

Does anyone realize how our own govt.can't be put passed this kind of debachery ?

Originally posted by TsukiLunar
reply to post by PerfectPerception

 

I just don't see how you could lack so much empathy or be filled with such greed to kill another human being.

Really? You dont see how human beings can be human beings? We have always been violent, killing creatures.Don't say you dont have it in you to kill another human. All it takes is the right circumstances to bring that instinct back up.

Justified or not, Death is death and Killing is killing. We can slap a bunch of different definitions on the circumstances, but the action is the same.

Theres no point in being shocked about it either. Sure its pretty bad, but were you surprised to hear about this? Imagine someone jumps out behind a corner and goes "Boo!". Sure its shocking, but after ten thousand of them. Well, you just aint gonna be surprised.

I don't think it's surprise at people murdering one another so much as in the way in which it was done.

That's damn near right out of a horror flick! The flip side of Dexter. This killer went so far as to make an elaborate plan that involved creating false jobs and bringing his prey to HIM. Since it failed (this time!) he was obviously just crazy or stupid enough to get caught, but it puts the thought in your head that there may be others out there like him with *successful* plans and a high body count.

And that's why I think this is a surprising murder story. Or maybe I think too much.

"Coming soon to a theater near you, THE CRAIGSLIST KILLER: DYING FOR DISCOUNTS" Part One. Coming soon to an illegal download near you!

Originally posted by randyvs
reply to post by PerfectPerception

 

Star and a flag ! That is a wicked story. I was aware that something like this would be easy to pull off on Craigslist. People need to wake up to the reality of the times they're involved in. There are several other job
offerings on Craigslist that seemed suspicious to me. I was interested in one that paid a one way fair to No.
Canada, by plane, to work on a pipeline. Couldn't see my self applying for that one on my own.

Does anyone realize how our own govt.can't be put passed this kind of debachery ?

edit on 4-12-2011 by randyvs because: (no reason given)

Originally posted by Cataka

Originally posted by TsukiLunar
reply to post by PerfectPerception

 

I just don't see how you could lack so much empathy or be filled with such greed to kill another human being.

Really? You dont see how human beings can be human beings? We have always been violent, killing creatures.Don't say you dont have it in you to kill another human. All it takes is the right circumstances to bring that instinct back up.

Justified or not, Death is death and Killing is killing. We can slap a bunch of different definitions on the circumstances, but the action is the same.

Theres no point in being shocked about it either. Sure its pretty bad, but were you surprised to hear about this? Imagine someone jumps out behind a corner and goes "Boo!". Sure its shocking, but after ten thousand of them. Well, you just aint gonna be surprised.

I don't think it's surprise at people murdering one another so much as in the way in which it was done.

That's damn near right out of a horror flick! The flip side of Dexter. This killer went so far as to make an elaborate plan that involved creating false jobs and bringing his prey to HIM. Since it failed (this time!) he was obviously just crazy or stupid enough to get caught, but it puts the thought in your head that there may be others out there like him with *successful* plans and a high body count.

And that's why I think this is a surprising murder story. Or maybe I think too much.

"Coming soon to a theater near you, THE CRAIGSLIST KILLER: DYING FOR DISCOUNTS" Part One. Coming soon to an illegal download near you!

This is what initially "shocked" and "surprised" me.
thank you for both for expressing what I did not elaborate enough on in the first post.

I am well aware of the human condition,what I am,we are capable of and I've observed how widespread and truly common murder is in our world...It was how it was done,repeatedly until they were caught that just made me really ponder and analyze the whole ordeal.

As alarming as this case is here a wake up call for myself or any who may tread lightly in their bubble of reality,as well as my own....I know this is not an isolated case.

The realization something like this can bring for all of us is knowing that there are more sadistic,cold blooded killers like this out there...And you may possibly never even have the faintest idea or suspicion before it is too late.

I could see myself answering such a AD, there are many of us living in hard times,looking to makes ends meet.

You just never know.

The same thing could have occurred from a newspaper ad, I don't see why craiglist is in the title. I think why they died is more important than what social frame they used.

whatever happened to the old school serial killers


like wayne gacy....ahhh the good ole'days

reply to post by filosophia


you are right,the murders & deaths are what is most important but what about letting others know about where these advertisements originated. sounds like you are more worried about the title than need be unless I am misunderstanding you.

reply to post by PerfectPerception


this needs to be filed under " too good to be true "

the " job " is the most basic menial laboures fare - worth at best $ 10 / hour

i have no idea what value to put on " unlimited fishing " - it would depend on wether it was coarse fish or saleable game fish

but free accomodation is a major perk - how much would rental on a trailer be PCM ? pluss utilities ?

add it all up - and it stinks

without reading the thread and story firts - i would not have suspected a " murder victim " twist - but i would have suspected that once i had moved into the free trailer - the job descripition would have expanded to include criminal acts

but hey - everyone thinks different