Craigslist Deal Turns Deadly

[EastIndyGunner]

I was thumbing through Facebook earlier today and noticed my cousin offering condolences to a friend who had just lost her husband. His name was James Vester, 32 new father and I think a vet. He was shot and killed yesterday trying to buy an iPad for someone he had met on Craigslist. The murder took place 10th and Girls School Rd. at apartments I can't remember the name of now. Broad daylight, plenty of witnesses. This could have easily been me. I'm always using CL to buy and sell and have had mostly all positive encounters. Now there is no way in hell I am meeting anyone anywhere but very public/crowded places but still this one was very close to home for me. Be careful out there people. Constant SA especially as we enter into the holidays.

 

[Mackey]

Wow. Horrible.
Story here: Police name victim of west side murder

 

[jagee]

I always try to meet people in public places when buying/selling stuff off CL. But it is crazy what people will do. Always be leery until you are in your car and driving away.

 

[GodFearinGunTotin]

That is terrible.

 

[Yup!]

Was it an ambush, or did an argument get out of hand?

 

[SkullDaddy.45]

I'm actually going to a funeral right now for a young man who was beaten with a ball bat and thrown in a dumpster by a person from Craigslist. He was in a coma for 3 weeks and died Thanksgiving night.

 

[warthog]

I am always wary of Craigslist dealings and never fail to bring a gun when closing the deal.
The whole thing just feels seamy and sort of "wrong side of town" to me so I use CL sparingly. (if at all)

 

[BravoMike]

If I had to make a guess, I'd say there was never an iPad to sell. What a shame.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Yep. alot of these where the original item never existed, or they bring one along to show, and as soon as they get or see the $$, out comes the gun and they leave with the $$ AND the item.

Sad.

And still wondering why there are no suspects? Burner tracfone? stolen phone? I find it hard to have no suspects when you have an internet posting, as well as email and phone conversations. Yes, its possible to completely cover your tracks, but typically these folks arent that smart.

 

[Gluemanz28]

I have went to some bad parts of town in various states for CL deals. Sometimes it has felt unsafe and I have always called someone to let them know the address where I'm at and a timeframe to call the Popo if I don't answer. I have started jaw jacking and the person called me to check and I told them all was ok. I know this might not save my life but maybe it would have helped me from being tied up in a coal cellar for ever. I think I will be more cautious going forward.

 

[BravoMike]

And still wondering why there are no suspects? Burner tracfone? stolen phone? I find it hard to have no suspects when you have an internet posting, as well as email and phone conversations. Yes, its possible to completely cover your tracks, but typically these folks arent that smart.

I would disagree that they are not that smart. If they had sinister motives, then it doesn't take much brain power to cover things up. Like you mentioned, pre-paid phone and post on a public computer, like library or hotel lobby.

 

[zombieglock]

Condolences to the family. CL is a shady business but i've had nothing but positive experiences. I always go with my gun and when my girlfriend goes to buy/sell I ALWAYS go with her. She has her own gun, but I just feel better when I go with.

Hope they catch this scumbag.

 

[stephen87]

Sorry to hear that.

Best advice for Craigslist meets: don't go alone; let someone who's not going know where you are going; don't be unarmed; meet in a very public place; if something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.

 

[Gluemanz28]

Sorry to hear that.

Best advice for Craigslist meets: don't go alone; let someone who's not going know where you are going; don't be unarmed; meet in a very public place; if something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.

^^^^^great advise^^^^^^

 

[hochwald]

I was thumbing through Facebook earlier today and noticed my cousin offering condolences to a friend who had just lost her husband. His name was James Vester, 32 new father and I think a vet. He was shot and killed yesterday trying to buy an iPad for someone he had met on Craigslist. The murder took place 10th and Girls School Rd. at apartments I can't remember the name of now. Broad daylight, plenty of witnesses. This could have easily been me. I'm always using CL to buy and sell and have had mostly all positive encounters. Now there is no way in hell I am meeting anyone anywhere but very public/crowded places but still this one was very close to home for me. Be careful out there people. Constant SA especially as we enter into the holidays.

Not sure what you mean buying an iPad "for" someone he had met on Craiglist, I am guessing you mean "from"?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Sorry to hear that.

Best advice for Craigslist meets: don't go alone; let someone who's not going know where you are going; don't be unarmed; meet in a very public place; if something doesn't seem right, it probably isn't.

and if this crap keeps up, you may also want an armed buddy across the street as over watch... Geez

 

[yeti rider]

I always do the deal in a public parking lot, and am always armed. It really sucks that there are shady people willing to kill someone over a few dollars.....

 

[Yup!]

it's all Apple's fault. Perhaps we should ban the iPad loophole that allows iPads to be sold on the black market.

 

[ASD]

This has always been one of my concerns with dealing with people off Craigslist. Every since the first stories of people getting robbed or shot over Craigslist deals I made it a point to meet people in public places in the daylight but I guess that doesn't even help these days.

 

[Cameramonkey]

it's all Apple's fault. Perhaps we should ban the iPad loophole that allows iPads to be sold on the black market.

Actually they JUST kinda sorta fixed that a month or two ago, and its a PITA for enterprise users.

Now if you wipe/reset a phone/tablet with iOS7, it no longer wipes the itunes account info. After wiping it effectively says "hey! I see you wiped this device and are trying to reprovision it under a new account. Whats the password to the OLD account? Dont know it and cant get access to the email mailbox to retrieve a password reset message? Congratulations. You have a paperweight. Buh-bye!"

While this has already caused my company to "brick" 3 phones due to terminated employees who used their personal itunes account on the device and now wont cooperate, I do see the benefit to the consumer market. As soon as these jackwagons realize they cant stick you up and expect to have a $400+ gizmo afterward, the iphone/ipad strongarm robberies should subside.

Personally, the idea of meeting in a parking lot is looking less and less "public". Maybe my next CL meet will be in the freaking food court of the mall. Before this incident, I dont think any of us would have thought meeting where this guy met them would be considered overly dangerous/private.

I hope this scum dies a slow, painful death.