WebJoel Rifkin, best known for being a Criminal, was born in New York, United States on Tuesday, January 20, 1959. During the course of the episode, Rifkin underwent a brain scan to see if abnormal brain chemistry could have possibly made him more likely to commit murder. "Joel never expressed any remorse whatsoever to me," said Mladinich. O.J.! In 1988 Rifkin enrolled in a two-year horticulture-study program at the State College of Technology in Farmingdale, New York. Joel Rifkin - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday Her body was later found in an oil drum in Coney Island Creek, according to ThoughtCo. Even the parents of his victims didnt seem to miss Rifkins prey. That may explain his failure to perform as Lee went to work. Real-life romance eluded Rifkin, for the most part. Her severed head was found on a golf course and her legs were found in Jefferson Township, the Times of Trenton reported. Rifkin had been bludgeoning or strangling women for five years, dismembering some of them. To have the normal picket fence and three kids and a dog and a cat and get on with life. So who were the women who lost their lives to this disturbingkiller? How far is Las Vegas from the California coast? Rifkin was bullied throughout his school years, an experience that left him feeling angry and isolated. By that time, Ruane and Spaargaren had smelled his reeking cargo, moving toward the rear bed of the truck, where something long and thick was wrapped in plastic, bound with rope. Is Joel Rifkin Still Alive Or Dead? The body of Evans, a 28-year-old mother of two, was discovered in May 1992 by a family hunting for dandelions off County Road 51 in Southampton, according to Newsday. Rifkin went back to school in spring of 1992, taking uncredited classes at SUNY Farmingdale. Pittsburgh woman missing for 31 years found alive in Puerto Rico, School shooting survivor has emotional audition on "American Idol", exclusive 2011 interview with CBS-2's Mary Calvi. Rifkins last victim, Tiffany Bresciani, was another southern girl. What actor has been killed the most in movies? By unanimous decision, a New York appellate court refused to lift the lockdown in June 2000. As the hearing dragged on, Rifkins lawyers alienated Judge Wexner by Soshnick repeatedly arriving late for court and unprepared and Lawrence missing whole days. Even before he was sentenced, on May 9, 1994, Rifkin was transferred to Suffolk County, pending trial for the Evens and Marquez slayings. "In an effort to show there was some grain of decency in him, he wrote this manifesto, a proposal really, to establish a facility where wayward women that had been living on the streets could go be safe. Do you think I need a lawyer?. By Becca van Sambeck & Oxygen Staff From 1989 to 1993, a State Police Sgt. That first murder gave way to many more; he killed 16 more sex workers, often dismembering their bodies and disposing of themin the New York area. Soto also had a past record for prostitution, but her family insisted she had been getting her life together before she was killed. (Photo by Neil Schneider/New York Post Archives /(c) NYP Holdings, Inc. via Getty Images), "When we first started talking, it was kind of awkward," said Mladinich. As much as I say I wanted to stop, there probably wouldve been others, he admitted. A woman whose severed head was found on a New Jersey golf course more than 20 years ago has been identified, and police say the trail leads to a notorious serial killer. Following a traffic stop that led to a car chase by police, authorities noticed a rank odor coming from Rifkins car. Stephen Urbanski says Balch worked as a prostitute in New York City and used numerous aliases. Klein became chief of Nassaus Major Offense Bureau soon afterward. While 2008s Rambo had John end his wandering, Last Blood sends him back out into the world. Of course, many of the victims had concerned loved ones who were desperately looking for them after they vanished however, many of the bodies weren't recovered until after his capture, so police weren't making a connection in the cases. To learn more about Rifkin's killing spree tune in to Oxygen's "RifkinonRifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer" airing Saturday, April 10 at 7/6conOxygenas part ofSerial Killer Week. When she was dead, he considered raping her corpse in conscious emulation of serial killer Ted Bundy, but the prospect repulsed him. A high-speed chase ended in Mineola, where he crashed into a utility pole which was located directly in front of the courthouse in which he would eventually stand trial. Lees ex-husband identified the body, sparing her from an unmarked grave. He complained to his landlord, I keep losing all my customers, and by summer he was falling behind on his rent. A peek inside the tarp revealed a womans decomposing body. With this information, they were able to identify even more of his victims, the New York Times reported. Pulitzer, Lisa, and Joan Swirsky. Mary Catherine Williams, 10 years older than ONeill, had been a high school homecoming queen and college cheerleader in her native North Carolina. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Instead of fighting back, Rifkin invited them to watch TV and drink beer at his house. As before, Joel cut most of his classes, focused for the most part on repairing his truck, renting video porn and trolling for prey. "Joel was a bit of an eccentric," said Mladinich. Despite his history of morbid fantasy, Rifkin would later claim he had to plan the murder of his first victim, in March 1989. (Oxygen). Cruising Manhattans East Village for hookers one night, at about 10 p.m., he selected a young woman remembered only as Susie. She was a hard-core drug addict, demanding several stops to purchase crack before they drove back to Long Island. After graduating from high school, Rifkin, who was particularly interested in horticulture and photojournalism, made several attempts at community college and attended the State University of New York at Brockport, where he worked for a time as a photographer on the school's newspaper The Stylus. "He always seemed like he was slower or a step behind," Fred Reiter, who lived next door to Rifkin in East Meadow, New Yorkgrowing up, recalls in the special. Chainsaws, people screaming, fine. He spent more than four years in solitary confinement I dont care what someone did. Most of Rifkins 20 paintings and sketches depicted wildlife or flowers, but one--titled Guardians Failure--showed a bare foot with a coroners toe tag and an angel weeping in the corner. The son of unknown parents, he was adopted by Bernard and Jeanne Rifkin when he was three weeks old. I was just in complete shock that someone like him could be arrested for these crimes. Joel couldnt wait to play the deadly game again. June 27, 1993. Faced with pistols now, the solemn driver gave his license up and stepped out of the car. After sex, he reportedly bludgeoned her with a Howtizer artillery shell and strangled her to death. Jenny Soto: Jenny Soto'sbody later washed up along the rocks of the Harlem River in November of 1992. With no money, Rifkin attempted to hold down a job, but that also became another unsuccessful moment in his life. I just lost control, he said later. State troopers Deborah Spaargaren and Sean Ruane were working the graveyard shift in East Meadow, Long Island, when they spotted a pickup truck with no license plate ahead of them, at 3:15 A.M. I want to show these girls, these prostitutes, have families who care. Rifkin consigned her remains to the waters surrounding Manhattan. Thirty minutes later, Sale and Rifkin appeared before Judge John Kingston, entering a preliminary plea of not guilty on the Bresciani murder. [2] Early life [ edit] Rifkin's birth parents were both young college students and his biological father was an Army veteran. She was found hours later by firefighters on a training exercise, but this time Rifkin reported, It didnt even faze me.. Another 31-year-old victim, Korean hooker Yun Lee, was fished out of the East River on September 23, her body folded inside a steamer trunk. "There were mini clusters, little sets of three," Rifkin said. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, The Saturday Six: Dental device controversy, scientist's bug find and more, Indonesia fuel depot fire kills 18; more than a dozen missing, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Defense lawyers in Idaho killings case want gag order kept, Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son. Fred Klein described Rifkin as a sexual sadist who relished his victims suffering: He got caught red-handed, and now hes using and abusing the concept of mental illness. Lawrence called his client a paranoid schizophrenic who lived in the twilight zone, overwhelmed by violent, irresistible compulsions that took control of his life. Rifkin, for his part, snored through much of the prosecutions case, a performance Lawrence blamed on allergies to the bologna sandwiches he ate in jail. "As much as I say I wanted to stop, there probably would've been others. The main story plot concerned Elaine (Julie Louis-Dreyfus) going out with a likable guy named Joel Rifkin (Anthony Cistaro) at the same time serial Joel Rifkins gruesome exploits were all over the news. Seventeen women in total were murdered by this shadowy figure but police at the time weren't even aware he existed. And Rifkin told WCBS-TV in 2011 that his victim count would have likely been much higher if he hadnt been arrested in 1993. Copyright 2023 Newsday. Joel Rifkin was an unemployed New York landscaper living a dark double life as a prolific serial killer claiming the lives of 17 women, a staggering total. A forensic anthropologist was hired to reconstruct the victims face, but Rifkin confessed before the model was finished. It is also packed with unusual trivia, exclusive interviews with the both killers and experts in the field and more information that any other resource available to date. And police weren't aware that one man was specifically targeting sex workers in the area. "Three were dismembered. They could learn life skills, like write a check, parenting skills just how to livetheir lives in a safe way. Three years later they moved to East Meadow, Long Island, and Joel entered first grade at Prospect Avenue Elementary School. Her mother, Doris Williams, described her daughter to the news outlet as a struggling actress and former high school homecoming queen who had moved to New York City from her home in Charlotte, North Carolina. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says. The odor from the truck was immediately overwhelming, Corcoran said, and troopers peeked in the back to see what was under a tarp. Rifkins first two victims have never been found or identified. Legal Statement. ", "There was always a fascination with strangulations. Theyre never disturbed by the sounds of murdering, just stereo. When authorities searched Rifkin's East Meadow home, they found all the evidence they needed:clothing, jewelry, drivers licenses, library cards, and credit cards belonging to approximately 10 women. They cite physical evidence and Rifkin's statements in linking Balch's killing to him. Iris Sanchez: Sanchez, 25, was reportedly killed on Mothers Day weekend in 1992. "We were trying to catch up from the previous 20 years. 2013 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Curiously, though, the driver of the pickup did not stop. Please, it would be so great!. Joel waited more than a year to claim his second victim. "They would suspect a serial killer was on the loose and his car would have easily been spotted by cameras.". Joel Rifkin was born in in January 20, 1959. He kept her credit cards and a wicker handbag filled with costume jewelry--so much, in fact, that the amount would briefly cause detectives to inflate his body count. Simpson and Nicole Brown Simpson. Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more. Motorist Joel Rifkin, now in handcuffs, helped identify the corpse as 22-year-old Tiffany Bresciani. Mladinich, Robert. Just keep the music down., For more on Rifkin, watch Oxygens upcoming special Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer, airing on Saturday, April 10 at 7/6c on Oxygen. Poor hygiene, chronic absenteeism and general ineptitude blocked the road to advancement. trends.embed.renderExploreWidget("TIMESERIES", {"comparisonItem":[{"keyword":" Joel Rifkin ","geo":"","time":"today 12-m"}],"category":0,"property":""}, {"exploreQuery":"q=Joel Rifkin&date=today 12-m","guestPath":"https://trends.google.com:443/trends/embed/"}); Joel Rifkin net worth and salary: Joel Rifkin is a Criminal who has a net worth of $100 Million. After the pair spent the night, once again at his mothers home, Rifkin beat her with a table leg and strangled her to death, according to Biography. His other victims included Tiffany Bresciani, Julie Blackbird, Lauren Marquez, Mary Catherine Williams, Barbara Jacobs, Yun Lee, Maryann Hollomon, Leah Evens, Violet ONeill, Mary Ellen DeLuca, Lorraine Orvieto, Iris Sanchez, Jenny Soto, and Anna Lopez, Newsday reported. MADHATTERDESIGN@GMAIL.COM, Like old school VHS Covers? I just struggled to come to grips that this same person was a serial killer capable of such barbarism. Oh! Fending off pleas from her sister and husband to move on with her life, not to mention a marriage proposal from a determined suitor, Rory holds fast to what she knows in her heartDawson is still alive. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! This is the best deal on the site. Lauren Marquez: Marquez, 28, was found dead in Westhampton. If he were to receive any money, it would be subject to state laws that earmark most of the award for the families of his victims. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2a73bfae92a8aa Before the trial, Lawrence said, Rifkin established a better rapport with the prosecution psychiatrist, serial killer expert Eliot Park Dietz, than he did with his own mental health expert, forensic psychologist Barbara Kirwin of Huntington. Besides a broken neck, Marquez had fractured ribs, though Rifkin claimed he could not remember hitting her. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Police finally caught up to Rifkin in June 1993, when state troopers spotted his pickup truck without license plates on the Southern State Parkway. Fifty percent of the proceeds from sales were earmarked for New Yorks Crime Victims Board, with inmate artists retaining the rest. He didn't wet the bed or torture animals or start fires. Rifkin didn't display the typical signs of a budding murderer. Hewent to painstaking efforts to try to conceal the bodies, often dismembering the victims, placing their bodies in oil drums, or throwing them into bodies of water, he would later tell WCBS-TVin 2011. . "Joel was very calm about it," Mladinich continued. The driver wasnt speeding, but the absence of a tag was in itself a minor violation, and they turned the flashers on, prepared to write a quick citation. This is someone whos trying to show you to be a sadistic killer., Joel Rifkin listens to the guilty verdict against him in Nassau County Court in Mineola on May 9, 1994,in the killingof Tiffany Bresciani. Simpson. Rifkin graduated from high school in 1977, but he could never quite cut in college, despite sporadic attempts over the next twelve years. Thats well over 30 ebooks in one package. Why not? "Certain things are very hard to stop," Rifkin said. He offered no resistance as police removed him from the pickup, frisked him for weapons and removed an X-acto knife from his pocket. Upon waking, he dragged Susie down to the basement, draped her body across the washer and dryer, then used that makeshift operating table to dismember her corpse with an X-acto knife. Midway through the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Fred Klein offered Rifkin a sweetheart deal--46 years to life on all 17 murders, in return for a blanket guilty plea--but Rifkin refused the bargain, apparently convinced that he would be acquitted on grounds of insanity. . After Rifkin was convicted in Nassau, he was sent to Suffolk where he faced two murder charges. There was really no coordination between police precincts. WebSusie was still alive, however, and she fought back when he tried to move her, biting one of Rifkins fingers deeply before he strangled her to death. It didnt fully come home to me what was happening until later., Things went from bad to worse at East Meadow High School. At some point in the litany, Rifkin asked DeLuca if she wanted to die, and she allegedly said yes. Rambo, one of Sylvester Stallones signature characters, now understands Spanish and somehow raised a Mexican-American girl, Gabrielle (Yvette Monreal) whose father abandoned her and mom died of a terminal illness. In 1965, the family settled in East Meadow, New York, where Rifkin would spend most of his remaining years. Classmates dubbed him The Turtle, after his slouching posture and slow gait. According to wikipedia latest update, he is still alive. 202.3.109.12 June 29, 1993. After wrestling her body into a plastic trash bag, Rifkin cleaned up the blood and signs of combat in his living room, then lay down and slept for several hours as if nothing had happened. Credit: Newsday/Alejandra Villa. Growing up, he struggled with confidence and lacked a natural athletic ability, which frustrated his father. Performance & security by Cloudflare. At age 33, Anna Lopez had three children by three different fathers, but she worked the streets primarily to feed her own cocaine addiction. she suggested, inspired by O.J. Tune in on Oxygen April 10 to April 18. He was very interested in horticulture and interned at the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park. He is now in Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, near the Canadian border. They opened the truck and found Bresciani. In 2013, DNA evidence confirmed that "Susie," his first known victim, was Heidi Balch, a 25-year-old New York City woman who was working as aprostitute. As much as I say I wanted to stop, there probably wouldve been others, he admitted. Why not? When asked about the body, Rifkin said, She was a prostitute. Right?, Oh, he was kind of quiet. I love these neighbors, he continues. Not much with that one. He followed the same disposal procedure as with Orvieto: back to Long Island, the oil drum and Coney Island Creek. A panel of seven men and five women was seated nine days later, with opening arguments begun on April 20. "Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer,". He held down various odd jobs, spending much of the little money he made on prostitutes. According to the outlet, Rifkin admitted to the other slayings during questioning. It is also packed with unusual trivia, exclusive interviews and much more. Rifkin drove her to the same parking lot where he had taken Yun Lee and strangled her during fellatio. the New York Daily News reported at the time. He kind of leaned back and said, One or 100, whats the difference? Corcoran said. This 90 card set features the artwork of 15 noted true crime artists and will come with a numbered, signed certificate of authenticity for each set. She loved the clubs. Hikers found her on May 9 after they spied a withered hand protruding from the ground. Violet ONeill: ONeills dismembered body parts were found over three days in July 1992 in multiple waterways including the Harlem River, East River, and a body of water near Governors Island, according to a New York Times article. On August 22, 1987, Rifkin was arrested in Hempstead, Long Island, for soliciting a prostitute. Heidi Balch was identified in 2013. "Where I am right now today, I know this is the best placefor me," he says. He was born on January 20, 1959, the son of unwed college students who were not prepared to start a family. Very few people start out life thinking, 'Oh gee, my goal in life is to wind up in Attica. It was a life far removed from her affluent Long Island home where shed been a high school cheerleader. As he strangled her, Rifkin recalled, She did nothing, just accepted it. He remembered her murder as one of the weird ones.. Michael Newton - An Encyclopedia of Modern Serial Killers - Hunting Humans. He was easy to make fun of.. Ruane and Spaargaren called for backup as they pursued their quarry at nearly 90 miles an hour. I was breathing heavily. Scattering the remains throughout New York also made it less likely for authorities to notice a pattern. Joel Rifkin, New York's most prolific serial killer, is the subject of a new true-crime documentary on Oxygen. In the documentary, readers will learn how Rifkin was a meek, mild-mannered child. Rifkins bedroom reading material included a book on the unidentified Green River Killer and news clippings about the case of New York serial slayer Arthur Shawcross. Still, it would take years for authorities to formally identify her, as "Susie" wasn't her real name. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Another suppression hearing failed to quash his confession, whereupon Rifkin pleaded guilty on both counts, receiving two more consecutive terms of 25 years to life in prison. Because Kramer has no ID on him, the box office employee has to use the public address system. They questioned him for eight hours, but for some reason never recorded the sessions. Corrections officials say that Rifkin is now imprisoned with more than 200 other inmates at Clinton who are not allowed into the general prison population. 2 Cant Beat: The Terminator (Terminator Franchise) This one is pretty simple. He maintained his interest in photography and horticulture, but failed to make either a paying proposition. Rifkin wedged the body underneath a rotting mattress, first relieving Sanchez of her watch and other jewelry. Each giant issue is perfect bound and chock full of true crime articles, artwork, letters, documents and more. Most killers stick to one method of disposing the bodies, but his mixturemade it easier for him to go undetected, according to the special. Joel dismembered her body into the East River. Neighbors recalled strange odors emanating from Rifkins garage, but they had assumed he stored insecticides there, for use in his garden and landscaping business. His fantasies about strangling women became more frequent. Barbara Jacobs was the next to die, a 31-year-old addict with arrests on her record for auto theft and prostitution. I saw him as artistically inclined. While he was portrayed as a more heroic character in the film, the novel portrays him as a ruthless, psychotic murderer and unlike the movie counterpart, this version of Rambo slaughters innocent people. Another belonged to Jenny Soto, fished out of the Harlem River in November 1992. Robert Sale met his new client for the first time at 9 a.m. on June 29, and Rifkin complained that police had taken his glasses and left him with a migraine headache, unable to function. Rambo hasnt died and he hasnt found some sort of peace in his life that means hes going to stop fighting. Joel Rifkin will celebrate 65rd birthday on a Saturday 20th of January 2024. The only 80s action star that would prove victorious against a 21st-century assassin is not a man but a machine.