Latest / Five-Minute Crime / Episode 49- The Craigslist Killer: A Date That Turned Deadly
Transcript
- Ronan Wolfe: This is Five-Minute Crime. I’m Ronan Wolfe. Tonight’s story is about how a simple online ad turned into something far more sinister. A hidden identity. A calculated plan. And victims who never saw it coming. This is the case of the Craigslist Killer. Ronan Wolfe: In 2009, police across multiple states began investigating a series of violent robberies connected to Craigslist ads. The suspect would pose as a client responding to escort listings, arranging meetings in hotel rooms under fake names. Ronan Wolfe: But these weren’t ordinary meetups. Once inside, the man would pull a gun, restrain his victims, and rob them. In some cases, the violence escalated even further. Ronan Wolfe: One of the victims was Julissa Brisman, a 25-year-old woman who responded to an ad in Boston. She agreed to meet the man at a luxury hotel. Instead of a transaction, she was met with a weapon. When she resisted, she was shot and killed. Ronan Wolfe: Surveillance footage captured the suspect entering and leaving the hotel. His face was clear. Within days, authorities identified him as Philip Markoff—a 22-year-old medical student with no prior criminal record. Ronan Wolfe: To everyone who knew him, Markoff was the last person you’d expect. He was engaged to be married, excelling in school, and living a seemingly stable life. But behind that image was a double life driven by greed and control. Ronan Wolfe: Markoff was arrested after a nationwide manhunt. Evidence linked him to multiple robberies and the murder of Brisman. He pleaded not guilty—but before the trial could begin, he took his own life in his jail cell in 2010. Ronan Wolfe: The case left behind more questions than answers. Why would someone with everything to lose risk it all? And how many warning signs were missed? Ronan Wolfe: It also forced a conversation about online safety—how easily anonymity can be used as a weapon. Ronan Wolfe: That’s all for this episode of Five-Minute Crime. Sometimes, the most dangerous strangers are the ones we invite in. Until next time—stay curious, stay sharp, and watch your back.