NEW YORK: Teen Confesses To Murdering Gay Man In Apparent Craigslist Hook-Up

An upstate New York teenager has confessed to brutally murdering a 62 year-old gay man during an apparent Craigslist hook-up. 

Kyle A. Box, 18 [photo], a junior at Carthage Academy, faces second-degree murder charges in the death of Randy J. Bent, 62, of 821 Morrison St. Police began investigating the case as a murder when firefighters reported to them the victim had multiple stab wounds. Box was arrested on Monday after admitting to police he stabbed Mr. Bent several times then set him on fire Sunday night, police said. An autopsy was conducted Monday afternoon, but the results have not been released. Police continue to withhold information about how Box and Mr. Bent knew each other, saying that information is evidentiary. Two of Mr. Bent’s friends, Dorothy “Dottie” M. Miller and John G. Miller, said Mr. Bent — who was openly gay — often went on Craigslist to meet men. They said they warned him to stay away from the online personal classified ads because they feared for his safety. On Tuesday afternoon, the Times found a listing in the casual encounters section of the website under the heading “18-year-old in need of help — m4m (carthage).” The personal went on to say “Hello my name is Kyle and I’ve had trouble looking for a job so if anyone out their needs someone to give them a good time and call or text me i’ll gladly give you something you wont forget. :)”

(Tipped by JMG reader Kent)

CPAC Is Starting

NCAVP On Spree Of Hook-Up Murders

The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has issued a statement on yesterday's news that yet another gay man has been murdered by someone he met online.

This is the sixth hook-up related homicide that NCAVP has recorded nationally since last year at this time, and the third in Pennsylvania. Hook-up related violence is violence that occurs within the context of a “hook-up” for casual sex. Hook-up related violence can occur through hook-up websites, apps, cruising, sex parties, bars, and clubs, and can be connected to overlapping forms of violence, including hate violence, intimate partner violence, and sexual violence.

“Stigma often prevents us from talking about hook-up related violence, that’s why at NCAVP we are working hard to raise awareness about this critical issue in our communities,” said Osman Ahmed, NCAVP Research and Education Coordinator at the New York City Anti-Violence Project. “Far too often we see LGBTQ people targeted for robbery and violence via online dating and hook-up platforms. It is imperative that more resources and programs are made available that seek to prevent such violence and promote safety online.”

NCAVP is reaching out to local organizations in Philadelphia and around Pennsylvania to raise awareness of this homicide and to support the local communities affected by this violence. NCAVP is a resource for anyone who experiences violence. For more information, or to locate an anti-violence program in your area, please contact us at info@ncavp.org or visit us online. Join NCAVP in our efforts to prevent and respond to LGBTQ and HIV-affected violence.

PENNSYLVANIA: Murder Charge For Man Who Met His Victim On Craigslist

A Pennsylvania man has been charged with robbing and murdering a local man he met via a hook-up ad that the killer had posted on Craigslist. Police had already been seeking the suspect for failing to show up for his September trial on child rape charges. Via the Associated Press:

Chad Marshall Wilcox, 28, of Williamsport, was arraigned Friday on charges of first-degree murder, robbery and related offenses in the Sept. 21 death of Manuel Hakimian, 36, of Norristown. He is being held without bail and has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 7. Online court records do not list an attorney for him. "This is a very vicious murder," said Montgomery County Deputy District Attorney Thomas W. McGoldrick. "The evidence suggests that the victim was tied up when he was killed. We allege that the defendant actually cut the victim's throat."

Hakimian's body was discovered by family members who went to his apartment Sept. 21 when he failed to show up for a family function, and police found that his cellphone, computer, wallet and car were missing, according to a criminal complaint. Wilcox told detectives that, on the day the trial was supposed to begin, he traveled to the Philadelphia area and posted an advertisement on Craigslist seeking sex with men, intending to rob them of money to feed his heroin addition, according to court documents. He said Hakimian picked him up on Sept. 20 and drove him back to Hakimian's Norristown home, according to a criminal complaint. He also claimed he plotted with three other men to rob Hakimian.

Wilcox claims that it was his accomplices that committed the murder. (Tipped by JMG reader David)

STUDY: 10% Of Craigslist M4M Hook-Up Ads Seek Straight-Identified Sex Partners

According to a study conducted by Columbia University, about one in ten M4M hook-up ads on Craigslist stipulate that the author seeks only non-gay-identified men, either as fantasy fulfillment or in order to keep their man-sexin' desires secret. This earthshaking revelation will truly blow the minds every single gay man who has never seen five minutes of gay porn. Or visited Craigslist.

To examine the subgroup of men seeking non-gay-identified (NGI) men in the online sexual marketplace, the researchers reviewed 1,200 Internet personal ads posted on Craigslist and selected 282 for analysis and performed comparisons of two categories of personal ads: those seeking encounters with NGI men, including straight, bisexual, married, curious, and men on the "down low" (those who usually identify as heterosexual but have sex with men); and a contrasting set of ads that did not specifically seek NGI men. Craigslist was chosen because it is publicly accessible, highly trafficked, free-of-charge, and widely used by gay, NGI men seeking men, or men who have sex with men and women to find sexual partners.

Among the ads studied, 11% were placed by men seeking NGI partners. Although men who posted NGI-seeking ads were more likely to self-identify as bisexual, married, and/or discreet and to seek out an anonymous encounter relative to the ads of comparison men, only 24% of online advertisements seeking NGI men were posted by men who were themselves non-gay-identified. This suggests that many of the posts are placed by gay men seeking NGI men, perceived by some gay men to be more masculine, dominant, or "straight-acting."

See? MIND. BLOWN. Of much greater interest is the study's observation that the authors of these ads are also far less likely to request safer sex and condom use, should one of these allegedly NGI men express interest.

The analysis revealed that men seeking NGI partners were significantly less likely to mention that they wanted to have safer sex/use condoms (15% vs. 33%) and were more likely (66% vs. 42%) to omit mention of condoms or safer sex in their advertisements. "This suggests that these men are more likely to be looking for and willing to engage in sex without a condom which may place them at greater risk for HIV/STI transmission than men who are not seeking non-gay-identified male partners," said Dr. Schrimshaw, who is assistant professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School of Public Health.

The researchers speculate that older, less fit, or less masculine men may perceive themselves as having "less bargaining power" in the sexual marketplace and therefore are more willing to place themselves at risk for STDs in order to get laid. I'm guessing that most of us here have also deduced that sad fact.

Regarding the timeless "NGI men are inherently hotter" trope, years ago when hearing such claims from friends, I would pose a hypothetical scenario and ask which of two identical twins they would most like to have sex with if one is gay, one is straight, and both are equally masculine. Without exception, the straight twin was selected. Usually that was followed by inane rationalizations based on stereotypical examples of social misbehavior by gay men. "Hey, I didn't say you were gonna date him." Further prodding, however, very often elicited a confession of the belief that the straight twin would definitely be a top. Which magically makes him more masculine even though they are equally masculine. Norman, coordinate! Cue the long discussion about self-loathing and all the other baggage in its gravitational pull.

A friend once pointed out a handsome young father waiting with a stroller while his wife window-shopped on a Soho corner. He pondered, "What is it about men with babies that I find so damn sexy?" Thinking it was a rhetorical question, I gave him what I thought to be the obvious answer anyway. "Because right in that stroller is the physical proof that he has sex with women. And for you that instantly makes him more desirable than any similar gay man." The argument that followed convinced me to stop with the dime-store psychoanalysis and just let my friends lust idly for straight men they're not going to bag anyway. But I still won't let them say "straight-acting." That's a paddlin'.

CPAC M4M #4

"Me: masculine, 6ft, 235, curly short blonde, hzl eyes, German Irish, 7.5 thick cut 6 around. You: trim 18-29, no older, no experience needed. Must send pic, yours gets mine. Love cum. Hottub. I can host, have parking, near King and Braddock metros." - Craigslist DC M4M.

CPAC M4M #3

"Patriots! What an incredible day today was! Christie and Jindal and some great sessions. I am ready to unwind and have some fun. I am looking to make one of my biggest fantasies come true. Me: Police Uniform. You: Army Uniform. I want you to bring a couple other guys for this fantasy too! We begin by you storming into my room with the other guys. The other guys will proceed to beat me (paddles, whips, floggers is up to them! or be creative ;-)  After I have been beaten, I want you to threaten my life and tell me that I am going to die for what I did. I got a nerf gun for this fantasy and I want you to blindfold me and place a garbage can next to me. Here is the most important part...  Shoot the nerf gun at the garbage can and NOT me. I want to feel like you are going to shoot me but at the last moment you do not. It may seem like a crazy fantasy but we all have our kinks. Afterwards we can hj, bj and a2m." - Craiglist DC M4M.

CPAC M4M #2

"Radical libertarian would like to tie up and abuse proglodyte and leftover journalists. Boys who look like Sally Kohn or Chris Hayes who need to be tied up, slapped around and fucked.  Also any Rick Santorum supporters in the closet or younger versions of Lindsey Graham or John McCain.  Or if you are just a decent constitutionalist type, we can have regular non-hate sex, or even a drink. Your place. - Craigslist DC M4M.

CPAC M4M

"It is that time again and I want to have some NSA fun after the speeches.  I want to fuck your mouth while I sign you up on the health care market place. I want you to be the gipper and go down on my jelly beans. I want to be discrete." - Craigslist DC M4M. He had me until "discrete." Link may not be office-friendly.

Pastor Busted For Impersonating Cop During Hook-Up Robbery Of Gay Man

Raw Story has the crazy crazy details:

A Colorado Springs pastor is accused of soliciting gay men for sex online, then attacking them and robbing them under the guise of a U.S. marshal making an arrest. According to Denver’s CBS Channel 4, friends and relatives of Set Free Christian Ministry’s Rev. Michael Abromovich are completely baffled to discover his secret other life. Abromovich allegedly used the online classified ad site Craigslist to solicit other men for sex. Using the name “Mike,” Abromovich allegedly lured a man to a Motel 6, then leapt from the car, shouting, “U.S. marshal!” He then threw the man against the door, handcuffed him and pointed a gun — which police now believe was a paint gun — at him. Abromovich reportedly confiscated the man’s laptop, iPad, cell phone, money and debit card. According to court documents, “Mike then told him they were taking his computers and phone to be sent to the lab to look for evidence.” He then told the victim that he would come to his house in the morning “to discuss the case with him and impound his vehicle at that time.”

The pastor was apprehended in Arizona when police became suspicious after he showed them a badge during a traffic stop. He has been extradited back to Colorado where he faces charges of kidnapping, robbery, and impersonating an officer. Local police believe that there may be other victims who are afraid to come forward.

(Tipped by JMG reader Matthew)

REPORT: Gay US Soldiers In Afghanistan Are Using Craigslist For Hook-Ups

The wingnut-o-sphere is outraged about an Army Times report that gay US soldiers deployed to Afghanistan are using Craigslist to hook up with each other.  Military investigators are busting those caught.

Agents with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Afghanistan are tracking service members who are hooking up in the war zone via Internet sites such as Craigslist and busting those who violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice. And in Afghanistan, where commanders haveforbid any sexual encounters between unwed people, virtually anyone who tries to set up a meeting online can become a target of investigators. One Marine lance corporal found that out in 2012, after he posted an advertisement on Craigslist for a sexual rendezvous. The guy he met at Camp Leatherneck, whom he thought was also looking to hook up, turned out to be an undercover agent with the NCIS. Sexual activities in a war zone are as old as wars themselves, but with the advent of Internet personal ads and social media sites, arranging a sexual encounter can become brazen, public and risky. Warnings from commanders, standard guidance for any unit headed to the war zone, appear to have fallen on deaf ears in many cases.

Britain's Daily Mail tabloid has posted lurid screencaps from several of the Craigslist postings.  Here's what could happen to those caught:

Online sex solicitation is technically not a crime under the UCMJ. However, commanders have the right to enact regulations that make it a punishable offense. “Soliciting for sex on community-oriented websites such as Craigslist is not per se a chargeable offense under the Uniform Code of Military Justice,” wrote Erin Stattel, a press officer for International Security Assistance Force headquarters, in response to emailed questions from Marine Corps Times. “However, posting pornographic images on a public web or social media site is a chargeable offense. Excerpt: General Order 1.15.f states ‘creation or display of any pornographic or sexually explicit photograph ... is prohibited.'" Other chargeable offenses under the UCMJ include adultery, prostitution and pandering, which violate General Article 134. But commanders downrange are also prosecuting service members, on a case-by-case basis, under a different section of General Article 134 that bans conduct “to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces.”

A spokesman for the NCIS refused to say if investigators are entrapping soldiers by posting ads themselves.

In Town For CPAC? - 27 (DC)

CPAC only started a couple of hours ago and the homocon ads are starting to pop up on Craigslist.  An excerpt from the second link: "Since most of the guys reading this ad are liberals, I'd be happy to explain why the conservative agenda is more pro-gay than liberalism." Oh, do tell darling.

UPDATE:  Here's another one. "Clean cut prep type in town for CPAC...Lookin to mess around w/ hot tops while I'm here. Can sneak away anytime for fun in my hotel room. White discreet guy here look for tall in-shape studs w/ big cocks. Ages 21-30. Send pics & stats. Two tops cool too."

Missed Connections

Andrew Sullivan points out an analysis of where the folks who post on the Craigslist "Missed Connections" forum are most likely to have seen the person they want to meet.

More people spy love at Wal-Mart than anywhere else, from Florida all the way to New Mexico. And that thread runs all the way through deep red America. Only Oklahoma cites the state fair as a mixer. The rest see each other under the merciless lighting of the giant super-store. This is how we fall in love or lust, where we flirt and look back: when we’re shopping. The big cities – like NYC and DC – showcase the random human interaction on the subway or metro. The Northwest has it all going on on buses.

Discreet Convention Play

Buzzfeed beat us to it and posted a Craigslist round-up.

Pay The Gay Away

Via JMG reader Sean Chapin, who also provided the headline. Source.

25 Years To Life: Maximum Sentence For Teen Killer Of Gay NYC Newsman

Teenaged murderer John Katehis has received the maximum sentence for the gruesome 2009 slaying of openly gay CBS newsman George Weber. The killer's first trial resulted in a hung jury after the defense painted Weber as a kinky pedophile who trolled for young male prostitutes on Craigslist, where he met Katehis. Last month the jury in the second trial repeatedly heard the same claim but voted to convict. Paul Schindler has more about yesterday's sentencing at Gay City News:

After a very brief statement in which he said he was “sorry” for killing George Weber and felt “regret” for the pain he caused the slain man’s family, John Katehis received the maximum sentence of 25 years-to-life in prison. Convicted by a Brooklyn jury on November 15 of second-degree murder, the 19-year-old Katehis opened his statement by saying, “As much as I’d like to, I can’t undo it.” After finishing his statement at the December 13 sentencing hearing, Katehis’ attorney, Jay Cohen, cited his client’s youth –– he was 16 when he killed Weber –– in asking the court for “compassion.”

After that, Judge Neil J. Firetog, without any comment, handed down the maximum sentence, under which Katehis must serve at least 25 years, less the two-plus years spent in jail since his arrest, before being eligible for parole. For a moment after receiving his sentence, Katehis kept his head facing forward, but as he was about to be led from the courtroom, he turned back toward the gallery, where his father Spiro sat with several young women, and showed a grin.

The prosecutor in the case pointed out that Katehis himself had sought out his meeting with Weber. Read the full report on Gay City News.

Found On Craigslist M4M

(Source)

INDIANA: Male Hooker Hiring Lawmaker Won't Resign, Says "I'm Not Gay!"

GOP Indiana state Rep. Phil Hinkle says that he is TOTALLY not gay, despite having been busted after hiring an 18 year-old male hooker from Craiglist. And since he's not gay, there's NO reason for him to resign. Or something. Hinkle's bosses in the state GOP have been pressuring him to quit.

INDIANA: Lawmakers Pressure Hinkle To Resign Over Craigslist Hooker Scandal

Some Indiana state lawmakers are pressuring six term GOP Rep. Phillip Hinkle to resign immediately after allegedly hiring an 18 year-old male prostitute from Craigslist. The most direct calls for Hinkle to step down are coming from his fellow evangelicals and not from the LGBT people he routinely voted against.

"I strongly recommend that Representative Hinkle resign his position," said Marion County Republican Chairman Kyle Walker, "so that he can focus on his family and not have this situation detract from that or the work that needs to continue in his legislative district." Others were less certain, especially until more facts come to light. "It's not for me to say," Daniels said. "It's for him and his constituents." Bosma said the next step is a discussion with Hinkle and to "chart a course from there." And Indiana Republican Party Chairman Eric Holcomb said Hinkle needs to "do the right thing." Asked if that meant the six-term lawmaker should resign, Holcomb said he "would word it differently."

One local station has a blurred-out interview with the alleged hooker, who does not appear in the below clip.

INDIANA: State GOP Rep Busted In Craigslist Gay Hooker Scandal

Six-term GOP Indiana state Rep. Phillip Hinkle, a noted anti-gay Christian activist who forced the state to offer an "In God We Trust" license plate, has been accused of hiring a male prostitute from Craigslist's M4M section. Local newspapers have been provided with emails between Hinkle and the alleged hooker.

The emails, sent from Hinkle's publicly listed personal address, ask the young man for "a couple hours of your time tonight" and offer him cash up front, with a tip of up to $50 or $60 "for a really good time." The email exchange is in response to the Craigslist posting in which the young man -- who lists his age as 20 in the ad but says he is 18 years old -- says, "I need a sugga daddy." The young man told The Star that they met, but that he tried to leave after the man told him he was a state lawmaker. He said the lawmaker at first told him he could not leave, grabbed him in the rear, exposed himself to the young man and then later gave him an iPad, BlackBerry cellphone and $100 cash to keep quiet. When contacted by The Star about the emails, Hinkle, a Republican who represents portions of Pike and Wayne townships, did not contest the emails but said, "I am aware of a shakedown taking place." Asked what he meant by shakedown, Hinkle would not elaborate. He directed further questions to his attorney.

Hinkle is married to a woman and has children. He recently voted in favor of a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions. According to VoteSmart.org, he also supports a long list of Christianist political goals.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ken)