We all know Craigslist is a weird place. You can buy just about anything on there, including some pretty strange and disturbing stuff. But did you know that it can also be a pretty scary place? Here are five more true scary Craigslist horror stories that will make you think twice before you post or respond to an ad on the site again.
1. The Craigslist Killer
In 2009, a man named Phillip Markoff earned the nickname “the Craigslist killer” after he was arrested for the murder of a woman he met through the site. Markoff had responded to an ad posted by Julissa Brisman, an aspiring model who offered massages. When he showed up to her hotel room for the appointment, he shot her to death. He was later linked to two other assaults of women who had also advertised massages on Craigslist. He committed suicide in prison while awaiting trial.
2. The Baby Formula Thieves
In 2012, police in New Jersey were investigating a string of robberies in which baby formula was stolen from stores. They soon realized that the thieves were using Craigslist to find people who were willing to sell them the formula at a discounted price. They would then rob the sellers at gunpoint and make off with the merchandise. In one case, a woman who had arranged to meet a seller in a parking lot was robbed at gunpoint and had her car stolen as well. Fortunately, the suspects were eventually caught and arrested.
3. The Serial Rapist
In 2016, police in California arrested a man named Michael Martinez after he allegedly raped four women he met through Craigslist ads. Martinez would allegedly answer ads for personal assistants or nannies and then rape the women once he met them in person. He has been charged with multiple counts of rape and is currently awaiting trial.
4. The Catfisherman
In 2017, police in Florida arrested a man named Dale Leary after he allegedly used Craigslist to lure women into meeting him so he could rob them. Leary would post ads on the site offering dates or “massages” and then meet his victims in person, where he would rob them at gunpoint. He was eventually caught after he tried to rob two women who turned out to be undercover police officers.
5. The Killer Roommate
In 2018, police in Massachusetts arrested a man named Brady Oestricher after he allegedly killed his roommate with a baseball bat following an argument over rent money. Oestricher had posted an ad on Craigslist looking for a roommate, and his victim responded to it. After moving in with Oestricher, the victim was allegedly assaulted with a baseball bat and stabbed multiple times before being left for dead in their apartment bathtub. Oestricher has been charged with murder and is awaiting trial
