The Victims
Susie(never identified)
Julie Blackbird(remains never found)
Barbara Jacobs (31)
Mary Ellen DeLuca (22)
Yun Lee (31)
"Number Six" (remains never found)
Lorraine Orvieto (28)
Mary Ann Holloman (39)
"Number 9" (anonymous)
Iris Sanchez (25)
Anna Lopez (33)
Violet O'Neill (21)
Mary Catherine Williams (31)
Jenny Soto (23)
Leah Evens (28)
Lauren Marquez (28)
Tiffany Bresciani (22)
Julie Blackbird(remains never found)
Barbara Jacobs (31)
Mary Ellen DeLuca (22)
Yun Lee (31)
"Number Six" (remains never found)
Lorraine Orvieto (28)
Mary Ann Holloman (39)
"Number 9" (anonymous)
Iris Sanchez (25)
Anna Lopez (33)
Violet O'Neill (21)
Mary Catherine Williams (31)
Jenny Soto (23)
Leah Evens (28)
Lauren Marquez (28)
Tiffany Bresciani (22)
The Trial
In 1994, Rifkin was found guilty of 9 murders. He pleaded not guilty and claimed his confession should be thrown out because he wasn't told his rights. He was offered a plea bargain (46 years to life for all 17 murders) but declined. In the case, some evidence included: the confession, photographs, articles of the victims clothing and jewelry, and a wheelbarrow/chainsaw that was covered in human gore. The jury found Rifkin guilty of murder and reckless endangerment because he led the police on a wild car chase. His sentence was 25 years to life for the murder and up to 7 years for the reckless endangerment verdict. Rifkin is scheduled to serve 203 years in a correctional facility in Clinton, NY.
In an interview held at the Clinton Penitentiary, Rifkin explained why he decided to target prostitutes. He claimed he would have "no attachment" to the victims, meaning that they could not be traced back to him. In this interview he also discussed his theory on the Gilgo Beach murders.
A book was written about Joel Rifkin in 2001.
KILLER AND COP -- BOUND TOGETHER BY FATE
They met in college twenty years ago.
One became a decorated NYPD officer and a journalist.
The other became New York's most notorious serial killer.
This is the riveting true story of Joel Rifkin -- the Long Islander convicted of savagely murdering seventeen young women -- as told by Rifkin to Robert Mladinich. The two met as journalism students on assignment together in 1979; more than two decades later, the NYPD detective visited Rifkin in prison to examine what both had made of their lives.
KILLER AND COP -- BOUND TOGETHER BY FATE
They met in college twenty years ago.
One became a decorated NYPD officer and a journalist.
The other became New York's most notorious serial killer.
This is the riveting true story of Joel Rifkin -- the Long Islander convicted of savagely murdering seventeen young women -- as told by Rifkin to Robert Mladinich. The two met as journalism students on assignment together in 1979; more than two decades later, the NYPD detective visited Rifkin in prison to examine what both had made of their lives.