Ohio residents know that Craigslist is a community website that allows users to post a variety of advertisements in order to procure or sell just about anything (legal) you can think of. This may include posting an advertisement for a roommate or some other personal service. However, Craigslist has also been used in the commission of crimes.
Two people have been charged with serious Internet crimes involving the use of Craigslist to lure murder victims in Ohio. A 53-year-old man is the alleged leader of the murder plot, which is believed to have led to the death of three men. The defendant’s alleged accomplice is a 17-year-old boy. The prosecutor in the case has attempted to characterize the teenager as a willing participant in the murder plot.
In response, the boy’s attorney (not affiliated with this firm) argues that the boy was coerced into participating in the murders of three people. The boy was 16 years old at the time of his arrest, and he is being tried as an adult, which means he could be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty.
Authorities have discovered that two of the three murdered men had answered an advertisement on Craigslist that was allegedly posted by the two suspects. The posting advertised a job that paid $300 per week in Ohio. The prosecution claims that almost 100 people had responded to the fake advertisement.
However, the teenager says he was afraid the older defendant would kill the boy or his family if he didn’t cooperate. Ohio residents with Internet crime concerns may want to keep an eye on this case as it progresses.
Source: Chicago Tribune, “In Ohio, teenager’s Craigslist murder case goes to jury,” Kim Palmer, Oct. 25, 2012