CRAIGLIST AT THE RISK OF YOUR LIFE

A significant number of victims have been murdered either by placing or answering ads on the Craiglist website

Nearly every week someone suggests I place an ad on Craiflist or tells me about buying or selling items using that website. Knowing that people have been robbed, raped and even murdered using Craiglist, I decided to browse the internet and found this alarming report about murders related to Craiglist.

Since criminals use Craiglist to rob, rape and murder, I thought it was still worthwhile posting this report
even though it was written five months ago.

I am sure that additional people have been murdered since this story was written, so beware: Use Craiglist at the risk of your life!

CRAIGLIST KILLERS: 86 MURDERS LINKED TO POPULAR CLASSIFIEDS WEBSITE

By Amber Stegall | WAFB | December 16, 2015

Law Street Media, a company launched in 2013, decided to take a deeper look into Craigslist to see how dangerous it really is. Since the arrest of Philip Markoff, aka the "Craigslist Killer" in 2009, the Craigslist website faced increased scrutiny.

The study by Law Street Media found 58 murderers and 45 murder victims connected to Craigslist postings since 2009. There are 22 murder cases still pending, according to the study. The oldest pending case is from 2012 and eight are from 2014.

Another group doing research on the same topic, Advanced Interactive Media Group LLC, says since 2007, there have been 86 killings in some way linked to Craigslist. Advanced Interactive Media Group has launched an initiative to encourage police stations to host Craigslist and other online transactions. The initiative is called Safe Trade Stations.

Law Street Media says Craigslist did not reply to multiple inquiries from them.

On mobile and want to see the slideshow? Click this link.

Below is the list of 58 people arrested in connection with some of the murders linked to Craigslist transactions.

PHILIP MARKOFF - Markoff committed suicide in jail waiting for his trial.

According to police, in 2009 Markoff met Julissa Brisman, 26, on a Craigslist ad for sensual massage in Boston. Markoff allegedly shot her on the 20th floor of the Marriott Copley Place Hotel.

JOHN KATEHIS - Convicted of 2nd degree murder during his second trial. He was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole in 2034.

Katehis met his victim,radio reporter George Weber, 47, through personal ads on Craigslist in NY in 2009. Katehis stabbed Webber 50 times in his apartment and claimed self defense during a bad S&M encounter during his trial

JOHN STEVEN BURGESS - Pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter, served 5 years in prison. He has been out on parole since July 2014.

Burgess, (registered sex offender) met victim Donna Jou through Craigslist in L.A., CA in 2009. Burgess claims he gave Jou drugs & alcohol & he woke up to find her dead in his home before panicking & disposing of her body, which has not been found

KORENA ROBERTS - Pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder, was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Roberts met 21-year-old Heather Snively, in 2009 to sell baby clothes to the pregnant woman. Snively was hit up to 30 times, Roberts cut open Snively's abdomen and stole her fetus. Snively died of major blood loss.

TAMMI LAFAVE - Pleaded guilty to felony murder and is serving a 25-year sentence.

LaFave & her boyfriend Travis Zoellick met victim Haroon Khan, who was selling a car on Craigslist in WI. Zoellick stabbed Khan to death and hid the car in his garage. Zoellick committed suicide prior to arrest.

DAO XIONG - Convicted of 3 counts of murder, is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Xiong responded to a Craigslist ad posted by his victim, Youa Lor, who was selling his car in Lake Elmo, MN in 2010. While on a test drive, Xiong shot Lor and threw him out of the car before driving away.

BRANDON KENT - Pleaded guilty to murder and is serving a life sentence.

Kent met his victim, Thai Lam, who was selling a motorcycle in Georgia in 2010. Kent shot Lam in his garage before fleeing the scene on Lam's motorcycle. Police caught Kent nearly an hour later as he tried to leave his apartment.

NATHANIEL BRISCOE - Convicted of murder, serving a life sentence with parole as early as 2039

Briscoe met his victim, Amy Elizabeth Dickey, through her advertisements for sex on Craigslist in Austin, Texas in 2010. Briscoe strangled the woman to death before dumping her body outside in a field.

CHAD JOHNSON - Convicted of 2nd degree murder, serving a life sentence with th possibility of parole in 2035.

Johnson met Jennifer Papain, 26, through a prostitution ad on Craigslist. Johnson strangled Papain after she refused to give him an $80 refund. He buried her body in a shallow grave near his home.

DIANE WARRICK - Convicted of murder, serving a sentence of 31 years to life.

Warrick met her victim, Mary Jane Scanlon, 70, when she responded to a Craigslist ad for a caretaker. Warrick stabbed Scanlon to death in her bed, claimed she was hallucinating. Warrick has a violent history of robbery and hostage-taking in CO and CA

PHILLIP BOLDON - Convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole as early as 2040

Boldon's victim, 19-year-old Sarah Weyrick, posted a personal ad on Craigslist shortly after moving to Houston, TX in 2010 and being low on money. She was later found stabbed to death in her burning car and Boldon was arrested for her murder shortly after

DAVID SPARRE - Convicted of first degree murder and is on death row

Sparre met his victim, 21-year-old Tiara Poole, through a Craigslist personal ad in Jacksonville, Florida in 2011. After several days of communicating, Sparre met Poole and they drove to her home before he stabbed the woman to death and fled in her car.

ALEXANDER LYONS - Convicted of felony homicide and is serving a life sentence

Lyons and his accomplice, Lamar Clemons, met up with their victim, 19-year-old Johnathan Clements, under the guise of selling him a phone in Detroit, Michigan in 2011. Instead, Lyons shot Clement and fled the scene in a car driven by Clemons.

LAMAR CLEMONS - Convicted of felony homicide and is serving a life sentence

Alexander Lyons and his accomplice, Clemons, met up with their victim, 19-year-old Johnathan Clements, under the guise of selling him a phone in Detroit, Michigan in 2011. Instead, Lyons shot Clement and fled the scene in a car driven by Clemons.

LATOYA JORDAN - Guilty of 1st degree murder, sentence to life without parole

Jordan met Somerson on Craigslist in Florida, where the 53-year-old man was looking for a relationship. Jordan admitted she stabbed him 30 times, four days after moving in with him because he was going to kick her out and she didn't want to be homeless.

DRATON MARES - Convicted of first degree murder and is serving a life sentence without parole

Mares met 42-year-old Thomas Bashline thru a personal ad on Craigslist. Mares shot Bashline in the back of the head and drove off in Bashline's car after defense attorney's said Bashline made derogatory remarks and became aggressive.

RICHARD BEASLEY - Convicted of 3 counts of aggravated murder, attempted murder and is currently on death row

Beasley and his 16-year-old accomplice Brogan Rafferty, placed ads for farmhand jobs in order to lure men to a cattle ranch in Ohio in 2011. They shot and killed their victims Ralph Geiger, David Pauley, and Timothy Kern, and another man who survived.

BROGAN RAFFERTY - Guilty of three counts of aggravated murder and one count of attempted murder and is serving a life sentence

Rafferty and his 53-year-old accomplice, placed ads for farmhand jobs in order to lure men to a cattle ranch in Ohio in 2011. They shot and killed their victims Ralph Geiger, David Pauley, and Timothy Kern, and another man who survived.

RASHON ABERNATHY - Convicted of murder and is serving a 50-year sentence

Abernathy and his accomplices, Shaquille Jordan and Seandell Jones, set up a meeting in San Diego, California with their victim, Garrett Berki, under the guise of selling the 18 year old a laptop for $600 that they advertised on Craigslist in 2011.

SHAQUILLE JORDAN - Convicted of murder and is sentence to 25 years to life in prison

Once there, the three 17 year olds robbed Berki and his girlfriend of their cash and phones before fleeing. Berki drove after the trio in order to get their license plate number; however, Abernathy shot and killed Berki during the pursuit.

SEANDELL JONES - Convicted of murder and is serving a sentence of 25-years to life

Berki drove after them to get the license plate number before he was shot by Abernathy.

KIYOSHI HIGASHI - Convicted of 1st degree murder, 1st degree burglary, serving 109-year sentence.

Higashi and his accomplices, Joshua Reese, Amanda Knight, and Clabon Berniard, met their victim, through a Craigslist ad in Edgewood, Washington that Sanders had placed in an effort to sell a ring in 2011.

JOSHUA REESE - Convicted of murder and sentenced to 100 years in prison

The group staged a violent home invasion while Sanders and his family were home; Sanders was shot to death in front of his wife and children.

AMANDA KNIGHT - Convicted of first degree murder and is sentenced to 71 years in prison

CLABON BERNIARD - Convicted of murder and sentenced to 124 years in prison; however, his conviction was overturned on appeal in June 2014 and he is awaiting a new trial.

TIMOTHY SMITH - Convicted of murder and sentenced to 50 years in prison

Smith and his prostitute wife met Kurt Milliman through a personal ad on Craigslist. Milliman went to Smith's house. The Smith's called police to report Milliman was unwanted on their property. When police arrived, Milliman was shot in the torso

ALI CUBBA - Convicted of second degree murder and is serving a 15-year sentence

Ali Cubba met the victim, 48-year-old Yuri Ives, through Craigslist. Cubba, who was a 17-year-old high school senior at the time of the murder, admitted to meeting Ives at his home and both shooting and stabbing him to death.

AVERY CORNUELLE - Convicted of second degree murder and is serving a 25-year sentence

Cornuelle and accomplice Peyton McAnelly met their victim, Joseph Givens, through an alternative lifestyle ad on Craigslist in O'Fallon, Missouri in 2012.

PEYTON MCANELLY - Charged with second degree murder, armed criminal action, and attempted robbery

The three men met up; however, Corneulle and McAnelly allegedly stabbed Givens to death when their attempted robbery went wrong.

JADE HARRIS - Trial was originally scheduled to begin December 2014. The case has not gone to trial.

Harris met a couple selling a Camaro on Craigslist. When he didn't see the vehicle, he allegedly shot and killed them, and forced a third victim to drive to see the car. He then allegedly shot her in front of her son. He shot the son, but he survived.

BILLY JOE DELACEY - Pleaded guilty to manslaughter in order to avoid a possible life sentence

Delacey met his victim, 26-year-old Luis Alberto Vasquez Oliva, through personal ads the victim posted to Craigslist for male massages. Oliva was found dead in his apartment with multiple head wounds from a hard object.

STEVE LEWIS - Convicted of second degree murder and aggravated robbery. Sentenced to 24 years in prison.

Lewis met his victim through a Craigslist ad in MN. Lewis claimed to have an iPhone for sale in 2012, but left it at home and they should go get it. Lewis pulled a gun on the couple demanding money, and said the gun went off on accident, killing Bo.

ALI SALIM - Convicted of two counts of involuntary manslaughter, one count of rape, one count of tampering with evidence, and one count of abuse of a corpse, and was sentenced to 36 years in prison.

Salim placed an ad wanting someone to clean his house. A 23-year-old pregnant woman responded. He gave her a lethal dose of heroin. Her body was found in her car in the woods. Convicted of manslaughter, rape, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence

CHRISTOPHER BEACHUM - Charged with murder

Beachum allegedly met Gerald Canepa in Dallas in 2013. They arranged to meet for sex, but Beachum allegedly stabbed and strangled Canepa to death before stealing various electronics from his home and fleeing from the scene.

JQUAN SCOTT - Charged with murder

According to police, Scott and accomplice Isaac Williams met victim William Apps under the guise of purchasing a truck that William Apps had advertised on Craigslist. Apps was later found dead with a gunshot wound to the neck

ISAAC WILLIAMS - Charged with murder

According to police, Williams and accomplice Jquan Scott met up with victim William Apps at a Hardees restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina in 2013 to purchase the truck that Apps had advertised on Craigslist.

TRYON KINCADE - Charged with murder and robbery

According to police, Kincade and his brother Tyshaune Kincade lured in their victim, James Vester, with a Craigslist advertisement for an iPad. They allegedly shot and killed Vester, running away with his phone and car keys, after arranging to meet in IN.

TYSHAUNE KINCADE - Charged with murder and robbery

According to police, Kincade and his brother Tryon Kincade arranged a meeting with James Vester after he responded to their Craigslist post to sell an iPad. The brothers allegedly shot Vester and fled from the scene after taking his car keys & phone.

CHRISTINA GUFFEY - Charged with murder

According to police, Guffey and her boyfriend, Christopher Jordan Johnson, met victim Timothy Keith Radford through a Craigslist ad she placed in 2013. Guffey and Jordan allegedly robbed Radford's home after Johnson shot him to death.

CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON - Charged with murder

According to police, Johnson, a convicted sex offender, and his girlfriend, Christina Guffey, met victim Timothy Keith Radford through a Craigslist ad that Guffey posted in 2013. The couple met Radford at his home where he allegedly shot him to death.

TERRANCE DENT - Charged with murder

According to police, Dent met victim Jevon Nathan Freeman when he responded to Freeman's Craigslist advertisement selling an iPhone. When they met up, Dent allegedly shot Freeman to death before giving the gun to a friend.

DOMINIQUE CLANTON - Charged with murder and robbery

According to police, Clanton and accomplices Bryant Dowdy and Eric Clanton met victim Nishant Patel in Indianapolis, Indiana in 2013 through a Craigslist ad in which Patel advertised a phone for sale.

BRYANT DOWDY - Charged with two counts of murder and one count of robbery

Patel met the trio but was robbed and shot to death. Dowdy reportedly also shot and killed Eric Clanton and shot Dominique Clanton in an effort to eliminate witnesses.

MIRANDA BARBOUR - Charged with two counts of murder and one count of robbery

Barbour and her husband, Elytte Barbour, met up with their victim, Tony LaFerrera, through a Craigslist ad offering companionship for cash. Miranda stabbed LaFerrera multiple times and Elytte strangled him with a cord before dumping his body.

ELYTTE BARBOUR - Convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence

Barbour and his wife Miranda Barbour met their victim, Tony LaFerrera, through a Craigslist ad offering companionship in exchange for money. Miranda stabbed LaFerrera multiple times and Elytte strangled him with a cord before dumping his body.

GREGORY LEWIS - Charged with murder

According to police, Lewis met victim Rene Filsfdelfo Leiva Archila when the 44 year old responded to Lewis' Craigslist ad selling a car on Halloween. Lewis allegedly shot Archila to death.

THOMAS COFFEE - Charged with murder

Coffee and his victim, 27-year-old Daniel Cook, met up so Cook could look at the vehicle that Coffee had advertised on Craigslist in 2013. Upon meeting, however, Coffee attempted to rob Cook and ended up shooting him in the face.

CHRISTOPHER DYSON - Charged with murder and armed robbery

According to police, Dyson met victim Thomas Mastro in Tinley Park, Illinois in 2013 through aCraigslist ad to swap electronics. Dyson allegedly planned to rob Mastro of his Playstation 3 and Playstation Vita, and in the process shot the man in the chest.

MARKELL THOMAS - Charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery and gang allegations.

According to police, Thomas and accomplice Ryan Roth met their 41-year-old victim Rene Balbuena after posting a Craigslist ad to sell a cellphone.Thom as and Roth allegedly attempted to rob Balbuena when they met, but shot him to death in front of his son.

RYAN ROTH - Charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery and gang allegations.

According to police, Thomas and accomplice Ryan Roth met their 41-year-old victim Rene Balbuena after posting a Craigslist ad to sell a cellphone.Thom as and Roth allegedly attempted to rob Balbuena when they met, but shot him to death in front of his son.

WALTER COLLINS - Charged with murder

According to police, Collins along with Martiness Henderson and Brandon Vance, met up with victim Larry Wilkins in Memphis to buy a vehicle. Henderson admitted to police that he shot Wilkins, and Collins admitted that he was getaway driver.

MARTINESS HENDERSON - Was 17 at the time of the murder, is charged with first degree murder and will be tried as an adult.

According to police, Collins along with Martiness Henderson and Brandon Vance, met up with victim Larry Wilkins in Memphis to buy a vehicle. Henderson admitted to police that he shot Wilkins, and Collins admitted that he was getaway driver.

BRANDON VANCE - Charged with first degree murder

According to police, Collins along with Martiness Henderson and Brandon Vance, met up with victim Larry Wilkins in Memphis to buy a vehicle. Henderson admitted to police that he shot Wilkins, and Collins admitted that he was getaway driver.

DUWAYNE LEWIS - Charged with felony murder

According to police, Lewis and his friend Jason Mageau — the victim — met up with 30-year-old Dermaine Spencer. Lewis and Mageau planned to rob Spencer; however, when Mageau attacked Spencer with a gun, Spencer grabbed his own and fatally shot Mageau.

TYRELL YOUNG - Charged with criminal homicide

According to police, Tyrell Young met victim Eric Ervin at Ervin's business in order to look at a car he had advertised on Craigslist. Ervin was reported missing later that night and police found him shot to death. Young was found driving the car.

GRANT VAN MUREN - Charged with murder

According to police, Van Muren met Charles Clark when he responded to Clark's Craigslist ad for a roommate. The 2 men reportedly were sexually involved before Van Muren allegedly strangled Clark to death in his home.

JUSTIN ANTONIO BUTLER - Charged with murder and burglary

According to police, Butler and accomplice Terry Renee McClure met victim Tycus Toland at his home in Lexington County, South Carolina in 2014 to discuss a car he had for sale on Craigslist. Toland was shot to death and his brother was critically wounded

TERRY MCCLURE - Awaiting extradition to Lexington County, South Caroline to face murder charges.

According to police, McClure and accomplice Justin Antonio Butler, met victim Tycus Toland at his home in Lexington County, SC in 2014 when they responded to his Craigslist ad selling his vehicle. During the meeting, Toland was shot to death