Richard Beasley, known around the world as “The Craigslist Killer”, has been handed the death sentence after appearing in front of a judge in court on Thursday, April 4th, 2013. Beasley, who in 2011, placed phony ads on popular website “Craigslist” and subsequently lured victims to fake job interviews, went on to victimize four people, three of whom were shot dead. The fourth however was only wounded and this man appeared in court to testify against Beasley, 53, who will now spend the remainder of his days in Ohio’s death row before facing his execution.
In 2011, Beasley used the widely popular Craigslist website, which is used by countless people who are looking for work, to advertise appealing jobs online. Selecting his candidates, Beasley would lure them to fake job interviews which included reclusive, secretive areas such as a farm in Ohio before proceeding to shoot them dead. If that wasn’t bad enough, the tragedy stretches further. Beasley was offering huge opportunities to people looking for a fresh start in life and as such, all of the victims, men in their 40’s and 50’s, were down and out and looking for a break in a world where there just aren’t enough jobs for everyone and when there are, they usually go to more youthful candidates.
Beasley didn’t act alone. 16 year old Brogan Rafferty, who helped Beasley, will face life imprisonment as he is too young to face the death sentence. However, despite the harsh evidence, the fact that a survivor of Beasley’s attack testified and the fact that both the judge and jury agreed that execution was a just sentence, Beasley remains adamant that he is innocent. A report from “The Huffington Post” showcases his comments. Beasley states that he never killed anyone. The sole survivor of Beasley’s attack, Scott Davis, remains adamant that Beasley is guilty, as do the families of the other victims.
Ralph Reiger, David Pauley and Timothy Kern, all in their 40’s and 50’s, sadly fell victim to Beasley’s cruel, merciless attack and unlike Davis, they were not lucky enough to leave with their lives, all dying in cold blood, believing that they were potentially on the verge of a big break and a fresh start in life.
It remains to be seen as to whether Beasley will actually be executed or not but he will now serve out the remainder of his days on death row in Ohio.