Rifkin, a former landscaper, was stopped by police on a routine traffic stop when a Long Island officer noticed his front license plate was missing, CBS New York reports. Rifkin wedged the body underneath a rotting mattress, first relieving Sanchez of her watch and other jewelry. Joel Rifkin, 34, is transferred to District Court 29 June, 1993 in Farmingdale, NY after police said he confessed to killing as many as 17 women. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Sheriff Teasle hated Rambo because he represented a threat to his own power base. Fred Klein, shown in his office at Hofstra Universityon June 13, was the lead Nassau County prosecutor in the Joel Rifkincase. The whole focus of my life, he later said, was on the streets. Even there he proved inept, robbed by hookers or their pimps at least a dozen times. The experience quickly led toan addiction. 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. She hailed from Metairie, Louisiana, and had been drawn to New York by dreams of acting or dancing. Known as Joel the Ripper, he murdered and dismembered at least nine women in New York. Wexner gave Rifkin 25 years to life for murder, plus two and one-third to seven years on the lesser charge. He drove to the Hudson River, dropping her into the water near a cement plant. Rifkin told authorities he had taken the lives of another 16 women, revealingexactly where he placed the bodies and how he actually had killed them, Ruane said. On May 25, 1992, he strangled crack addict Anna Lopez, dumping her corpse in some woods off Interstate 84, in Brewster. He kind of leaned back and said, One or 100, whats the difference? Eugene Corcoran, the state police lieutenant who supervised the investigation, recalled, according to Newsday. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Her body was discovered in Cornwall in October 1991, a month after she had been reported missing by her family, The New York Timessaidin 1993. In addition to Rifkin, the episode discusses the phenomenon of serial killers in one of Jerry Seinfelds stand-up routines. Theyre never disturbed by the sounds of murdering, just stereo. That was an experience, because Joel aside from the pathological issues had some smarts about him, Lawrence said. Elaine told her new beau he should change his name. They didn't realizeone man was targeting sex workers in New York City. ", "If I didnt kill them, they would have died anyhow. I just lost control, he said later. WebRon Rifkin was born on October 31, 1939 in New York City, New York, USA. Rifkin initially told investigators that he'd driven to New York City in 1989 to pick up a prostitute named Susie, according to a 2013The Associated Pressarticle. All of our Serial Killer books are massive, 8.5" x 11" perfect bound editions. Rifkin was transferred at once to the Nassau County Correctional Facility in East Meadow. Real-Life 'Criminal Minds' Attempt To Make Sense Of Serial Killer Joel waited more than a year to claim his second victim. (Glass Entertainment Group). When she fell asleep, he clubbed her with the same table leg he had used on Julie Blackbird, then finished the job by manual strangulation. Joel Rifkin was born in in January 20, 1959. "Oh! Jane Doe #1: Rifkin killed an unidentified woman in December 1991 by strangling her to death during sex. 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. In 2010, Rifkin was interviewed by ABC's Martin Bashir as part of the Nightline Prime mini-series, Secrets of Your Mind. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! June 29, 1993. Confidential (1997) and The Sum of All Fears (2002). We are now looking for artists, writers and interviewers to take part in the world famous Serial Killer Magazine. Tragedy plus time equals comedy, so its been said. He is now in Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, near the Canadian border. His landscaping business had folded by then, his landlord clamoring for $700 in overdue rent. 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. Joel Rifkins zodiac sign is Aquarius. On the far right is Gonzales'daughter, also named Margarita Gonzales. As much as I say I wanted to stop, there probably wouldve been others, he admitted. Rifkin consigned her remains to the waters surrounding Manhattan. Flexing his ego, he fired Sale and retained two new lawyers: former Nassau County assistant district attorney Michael Soshnick and his partner, John Lawrence. Hes not evil. Although the magazine takes this subject very seriously and in no way attempts to glorify the crimes describe in it, it also provides a unique collection of rare treats (including mini biographical comics, crossword puzzles and trivia quizzes). Yourself, New Yorks Deadliest Serial Sale called the state police at 3:30 p.m. and ordered them to cease interrogation of his client, but the questioning continued in Sales absence for at least another hour, until Rifkin completed his grim recital of death. aspect of comedy, the Rifkin episode of Seinfeld aired just five months after his O.J.! Why do people try to quit smoking for their entire lives?" Welcome to November, the month when, according to some studies, serial killers and mass murderers are most likely to be born. Oxygens Serial Killer Week brings viewers inside the minds of the most notorious criminals of all time. the New York Daily News reported at the time. June 27, 1993. Rifkin transferred to the state university at Brockport, a Rochester suburb, in fall 1978. 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. Tune in on Oxygen April 10 to April 18. Several months later, the football star was charged with murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Joel Rifkin Jury selection for Rifkins first trial, before Wexner, began on April 11, 1994. 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. When they signaled for him to pull over, Rifkin kept driving. Compatible with Rabbit or Goat. 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. "Everybody has some kind of fantasy life, whether it's negative or positive. All of our Serial Killer Magazines and books are massive, perfect bound editions. At this time he became increasingly obsessed with violence, murder, and prostitution. Ahearn saidRifkins lack of concern for his victims haunted him for years and still does. Whats in a name? He would be eligible for parole only in 2197, at the age of 238. At the time, there was no more thought than stomping on a bug or a cockroach. Joel Rifkin Joel Rifkin It also includes the best true crime artwork from around the world. (Photo by Andrew Savulich/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images). Another colleague chimes in, adding Hey, Elaine, listen. In fact, quite the opposite. 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. I was completely numb. The son of unwed teenage parents, born in 1959, Joel was adopted by Ben and Jeanne Rifkin at three weeks of age. Black-painted Bowie clip-point with 14 or 12 saw teeth, 1 Stick Around (Rambo: Last Blood / 2019), 2 Take A Bow (Rambo: First Blood, Part II / 1985), 7 The Grenade With A Real Kick (Rambo III / 1988), 8 Hammer Smashed Face(s) (Rambo: Last Blood / 2019). Joel Rifkin Joel Rifkin - Age, Bio, Faces and Birthday Hopewell Police Chief George Meyer tells The Times of Trenton that New York authorities have no interest in prosecuting the case because Rifkin is already behind bars. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2a73bfae92a8aa Through newly revealed interviews from Attica Correctional Facility, New York's most prolific serial killer, Joel Rifkin, reveals exclusive insights into the mind of a monster. Theyre intelligent, always seeking more knowledge, and exclusive. "Water is harder to investigate than land because it washes everything," he said. 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. Family (1) Spouse Iva Rifkin ( 28 August 1966 - present) Trivia (10) Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Her case remained unsolved until Rifkin confessed in 1993. This guy couldnt even count to 10. In his down time, idling between jobs and classes, Rifkin dreamed of becoming a famous writer, churning out fragments of bleak poetry. Rifkin suffered a major anxiety attack after learning that Susie was HIV positive, following the case as police prepared artists renderings of the victim in life and checked them against a list of 700 missing women. Her severed head was found on a golf course and her legs were found in Jefferson Township, the Times of Trenton reported. Police searched his mothers home and discovered a room full of evidence driver's licenses of victims, their underwear, their jewelry and other trophies Rifkin had kept. Judge Robert Hanophy, passing sentence in the Sanchez case, told spectators: It is not in my power to give Mr. Rifkin the sentence he deserves. In 1994, Rifkin was sentenced to life in prison. Joel Rifkin In an exclusive 2011 interview with CBS-2's Mary Calvi, Rifkin talked about his killing spree. Strangled in Joels pickup after sex, she proved the toughest one to kill, he said, breaking all 10 fingernails as she clawed Rifkins face and neck. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. If you are interested in joining our team, contact us at It didnt fully come home to me what was happening until later., Things went from bad to worse at East Meadow High School. 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. Williams, a former cheerleader at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, had struggled with an addiction to crack cocaine after her marriage broke up and often turned to prostitution to help support the habit, according to Newsday. 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. New York state troopers Sean Ruane and Deborah Spaargaren were patroling Long Islands Southern State Parkway at 3:15 a.m. on June 28, 1993, when they spotted a Mazda pickup truck with no rear license plate. Rifkin was ultimately sentenced to 203 years in prison, where he remains to this day. He kind of leaned back and said, One or 100, whats the difference? Corcoran said. Neighbors had noted a foul odor emanating from the Rifkin garage, where corpses were occasionally stored before disposal, but the stench was attributed to fertilizer and insecticide Joel used on his landscaping job. A low-speed car case ensued for about 20 minutes, until Rifkin lost control of the car and crashed into a utility pole in Mineola, according to the paper. He didn't wet the bed or torture animals or start fires. Buoyed perhaps by that effort, in August 1999 Rifkin unveiled his plans for Oholah House, a proposed shelter for prostitutes that would include drug treatment, counseling, medical care and job training. Lorraine Orvieto, age twenty-eight, was strangled by Rifkin a few days before Christmas, jammed in a 55-gallon oil drum and dropped into Coney Island Creek, where her body would remain undiscovered for over six months. 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 Rifkin But other times, Lawrence said his client made him uncomfortable. His guide enabled police all over the metropolitan area to find bodies they didnt know existed or to explain how and why bodies had been found earlier. She wasnt what they said she was, Gonzales said. I saw him as artistically inclined. The pickup truck Joel Rifkin was driving when he was caught sits at New York State Police Headquarters in Farmingdale on June 28, 1993. Credit: Newsday/Jim Peppler. 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. According to the outlet, Rifkin admitted to the other slayings during questioning. Prison is where he belongs, Rifkin says in the special. By the time Rifkin was done taking guilty pleas throughout the area, he had been sentenced to 203 1/3 years to life in prison. Soto also had a past record for prostitution, but her family insisted she had been getting her life together before she was killed. "None of them were throwaways.". Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. 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. He is referenced in a "Seinfeld" episode in which Elaine, played by Julia Louis Dreyfus, is embarrassed to be dating a man who shares a serial killer's name. Crack addict Mary Ellen DeLuca, a 22-year-old Long Island native, was last seen alive at 11:00 p.m. on September 1, 1991, when she left a group of friends to earn the price of her next fix. Heidi Balch was identified in 2013. They wound up at a cheap motel, DeLuca first balking at sex and demanding more dope, then rushing through the act, complaining all the while. Three months later, he killed Leah Evens and left her in rural Northampton, where her skeleton was found on Mothers Day. Legal Statement. The Seinfeld team wasted no time trying to churn laughs out of one of New Yorks most horrible mass murderers Rifkin is believed to have killed up to 17 women and is the subject of Oxygens upcoming special, Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer,, The whole city is talking about this monster. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Thats why he volunteered to have brain scans whenever they became available and he was willing to talk to mental health professionals. Oxygens Serial Killer Week brings viewers inside the minds of the most notorious criminals of all time. They also found a blood-stained wheelbarrow and chainsaw at the residence. Jenny Soto: Jenny Soto'sbody later washed up along the rocks of the Harlem River in November of 1992. Mladinich said he and Rifkin, now 62, wrote to each other regularly until they saw each other again in the fall of 1999. 2 Cant Beat: The Terminator (Terminator Franchise) This one is pretty simple. In 2002, New Yorks Supreme Court rejected Rifkins appeal of his convictions for the murder of nine women. Eugene Corcoran, shown onJune 18, was one of the lead investigators in the Joel Rifkin case. Joel would not strike again for 15 weeks, and when he did, he would take better care to hide his tracks. Theyre perfectionists who enjoy finer things but are not perceived as snobs. It was a half-hearted effort at best. He then dismembered Susies body and her remains were scattered throughout New Jersey. That explained Rifkins use of Noxema. But Susie has never been identified. Called The Masseuse, the episode first aired on November 18, 1993. During his trial, Rifkin was represented by Mineola-based attorney John Lawrence. It is in their nature to take action, sometimes before they think about it well. "Some people viewed him as an oddball. Another time, Rifkin made it as far as a local pizza parlor with his date, but the same bullies chased them out, pursuing the couple on foot until Joel and the girl found refuge in a public library. He picked Sanchez up in broad daylight, driving her to a Manhattan housing project down by where Macys has the fireworks. After strangling Sanchez during sex, he drove her corpse across the Brooklyn Bridge, seeking a drop-off point. She was found hours later by firefighters on a training exercise, but this time Rifkin reported, It didnt even faze me.. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) . EXCLUSIVE: In late 1998, Robert Mladinich wrote to his "old college pal" Joel Rifkin New Yorks most prolific serial killer. Her mother told the newspaper in 1993 that her daughter had been a happy and outspoken child, who later struggled with drug abuse and began to work as a prostitute. 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. With Rifkins detailed confession, investigators got to work. You dont even use a name, its just initials. 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. Rifkin didnt stop after his first murder. Corcoran had troopers take Rifkin to Troop L, located then on the grounds of Republic Airport in East Farmingdale where Rifkin was headed that night to bury that body. He was also an academic failure, suffering from undiagnosed dyslexia despite a tested IQ of 128. According to the special, he killed 16 more sex workers. That one was easy.' The crowd stops cheering and squirm, while Elaine does damage control. We have to be more aware when we see people who have been exposed to so much meanness, so much emotional brutality, physical brutality. Joel Rifkin The only 80s action star that would prove victorious against a 21st-century assassin is not a man but a machine. ", GARY HEIDNIKS ATTORNEY TALKS INSANE HOUSE OF HORRORS KILLER IN DOC: THERE WAS A METHOD TO HIS MADNESS', Jenny Soto's family. Stephanie Nolasco covers entertainment at Foxnews.com. State Police Sgt. Rifkin initially told investigators that he'd driven to New York City in 1989 to pick up a prostitute named Susie, according to a 2013, While his mother was out of town, Rifkin and Balch returned to his childhood home, where they stayed for the night but Rifkin soon took out his rage on Balch, bashing her in the head with a Howtizer artillery shell and strangling her to death, as recounted on "Rifkin on Rifkin.".