Joel David Rifkin was born on January 20, 1959. In 1994, he was sentenced to 203 years in prison for the murders of 9 women between 1989-93. He is believed to have killed up to 17 victims between 1989-93 in New York City and in Long Island, New York. Although he often hired sex workers in Brooklyn and Manhattan, he lived in East Meadow, a suburban town on Long Island. The Beginning Joel Rifkin's birth mother was a 20-year-old college student, and his biological father was a 24-year-old college student and Army veteran. It is significant to note that Rifkin had no information on his biological parents until after his arrest. At three weeks old he was adopted by an upper-middle class Long Island couple, on February 14, 1959. His adoptive father, Benjamin Rifkin, was of Russian Jewish descent and his adoptive mother, Jeanne (Granelles), of Spanish descent, converted to Judaism when she married. Benjamin Rifkin committed suicide in 1987. Rifkin performed poorly in school due to learning disabilities and was unpopular with classmates due to his poor social skills. He graduated from East Meadow High School in 1977, then attended Nassau Community College, State University of New York, Brockport and State University of New York, Farmingdale, but left before earning a degree. After leaving college he found work as a landscaper. The Murders Joel Rifkin estimated soliciting about 300 prostitutes. Rifkin admitted watching the strangulation scene in Hitchcock’s Frenzy movie hundreds of times. He took advice for his murders from a book written on the Green River Killer. He committed his first murder on March 4, 1989, killing Heidi Balch in his home in East Meadow. Joel later stated that he killed Heidi with the theory that if he killed a prostitute, maybe he would stop soliciting them. Joel beat her death. During the fight for her life, Heidi bit his right hand hard, causing an injury. He put her in a choke hold and killed her. Joel then dismembered her body, removing her teeth and fingertips. He placed her head in a paint can and left the paint can in the woods of a golf course in southern New Jersey and her legs farther north. He then dumped her remaining torso and arms into the East River around New York City. Balch's remains were unidentified until 2013. Rifkin was only implicated in this killing after he was arrested for 16 additional murders. Lorraine Orvieto, his 7th victim, was found in an oil barrel. Her driver’s license was found in Rifkin’s home when he was arrested. Lorraine's close friend and cousin stated, “A pathetic piece of shit like him, (Rifkin) can just come along and do with him what he will—(tears). I’m sorry I’m getting a little rage.” Mary Katherine Williams' (his 13th victim) exact cause of death wasn’t known until a prison interview years later. Mary was a college graduate. Rifkin admitted strangling her until she passed out, assaulting her and then killing her. Her credit cards were found in Rifkin’s home. Joel Rifkin believed his birth mother was a prostitute. It was later theorized that Rifkin killed prostitutes because he believed his mother was a prostitute. When interviewed, he said, “I killed prostitutes because they had no one. They had no lasting relationships. No family who cared. No one would ever come looking for them.” (This is simply not true.) Over the next 4 years, he killed 16 more women. Joel Rifkin also pointed out that prostitutes go places with men who don’t have to reveal their name to places they are unfamiliar with, making them easy targets. Basically, Rifkin didn’t care about anyone other than himself, and destitute women were easy targets. Joel Rifkin kept Tiffany Bresciani’s body in his mother’s garage for several days before he decided to deposit her. Police finally caught up to Rifkin on June 28, 1993, when state troopers spotted him driving his Mazda pickup truck without a license plate lamp on the Southern State Parkway. Rifkin tried to find water to drive the truck into. The high-speed chase ended in Mineola, New York, when he crashed into a utility pole directly in front of the courthouse where he eventually stood trial. Troopers detected a foul odor from the back of the truck. It came from the corpse of his final victim: sex worker and dancer Tiffany Bresciani. Rifkin had picked Bresciani up in his pickup truck on June 24, 1993, where she was working on Allen Street in Manhattan, New York City. When police asked him if he killed any others, he said, “16 or 17 more.” Investigators stated Rifkin wanted people to know he was a prolific killer. Joel Rifkin lacked remorse, and actually fell asleep during the prosecutor’s opening statement. Rifkin was found guilty of 9 counts of second-degree murder in 1994 and sentenced to 203 years to life in prison. His first possible parole date is February 26, 2197. Prison In early 1994 it was reported that Rifkin had engaged in a jailhouse scuffle with mass murderer Colin Ferguson. The brawl began when Ferguson asked Rifkin to be quiet while Ferguson was using a prison phone. The New York Daily News reported the fight escalated after Ferguson told Rifkin, "I killed 6 devils and you only killed women," to which Rifkin responded, "Yeah, but I had more victims." Ferguson then punched Rifkin. Prison officials decided in 1996 that Rifkin was so notorious that his presence in the general prison population could be disruptive. He was confined to his cell at the Attica Correctional Facility for 23 hours a day. He spent more than 4 years in solitary confinement before being transferred to the Clinton Correctional Facility in Clinton County. Rifkin sued, arguing that his solitary imprisonment was unconstitutional. In 2000, a state appellate court determined that prison officials had not violated Rifkin's constitutional rights by housing him in isolation. His lawsuit sought $50,000 for each of his 1,540 days in solitary confinement (totaling $77 million). Had he received any money, it would have been subject to state laws that earmark most of the award for the families of his victims. 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. August 1987: At, 28, Rifkin was arrested in Hempstead for soliciting sex from an undercover policewoman. Planning for the killing spree started shortly after. Victims Heidi "Susie" Balch, 25: Identity of remains found in 1989 were unknown until April 2013. According to Rifkin, in 1989 he picked up a woman referred to as “Susie” who was a drug addict, had sex with her, but she kept requesting more drugs. Rifkin grew angry and repeatedly hit her over the head with a howitzer shell. He finally killed her by strangulation. On 3-05-1989, at 30, Susie’s head was found by an individual playing golf. Julie Blackbird: In 1990, at age 31, Rifkin picked up Julie Blackbird and had sex with her, later he hit her on the head with a table leg, left her in the basement, and the next day bought cement and a knife and dismembered her body and placed it in the cement, then he dropped it into different parts of the Hudson River. Her remains were never found. Barbara Jacobs, 31: On 7-13-1991, Rifkin brought home Barbara Jacobs for sex. When she fell asleep, he clubbed her with the same table leg used on Julie Blackbird, he then disposed of her body in the Hudson River. Barbara fought back. She was found hours later, but her death was blamed on a drug overdose. Mary Ellen DeLuca, 22: On 9-01-1991, Mary Ellen Deluca was picked up by Rifkin, rushed through sex with him and he claims he asked her if she wanted to die and she said yes, so he strangled her to death. She never fought back. He left her body at a rest stop outside Cornwall. She was found on 10-01-1991. Yun Lee, 31: In September of 1991, Rifkin picked up Yun Lee, a prostitute he had been with before. He failed to perform and struck her on impulse, strangling her to death. She was dropped into the East River. Found on September 23rd. "Number 6", Never identified: According to Rifkin, in July 1992 he murdered unidentified victim #1. They call her the “Jane Doe” victim. Again, Rifkin picked up her along the side of the road, slept with her, and then strangled her around the neck. Her body was placed in an oil drum and dumped into Netown Creek. Her remains were never recovered. Lorraine Orvieto, 28: On 12-26-1991 Lorraine Orvieto (HF, 28) was strangled by Rifkin. Her body was placed in an oil drum and thrown into Coney Island Creek to hide the evidence. Her body was recovered 6 months later. Mary Ann Holloman, 39: On 1-02-1992 32 Rifkin found Mary-Ann Holloman (WF, 39) walking along the street late one night and picked her up. He then strangled her and placed her body in an oil drum. In July 1992 Holloman’s body found in Coney Island Creek, the same location as Lorraine Orvieto. Her body was recovered 2 days before Orvieto’s. "Number 9", Identity remains anonymous: July 1992 No-Name #1, they call her the “Jane Doe” victim.” Again, Rifkin picked up her along the side of the road, slept with her, and then strangled her around the neck. Her body was placed in an oil drum and dumped into Newtown Creek. 1992 No-Name #2 was picked up by Rifkin. He had sex with her, and then strangled her. He placed her body in an oil drum and dumped it into the Harlem River. Iris Sanchez, 25: In April 1992 Rifkin met Iris Sanchez, whom he reported was a crack addict and prostitute. Strangled her during sex. Covered her body with an old mattress and dropped her fully clothed body in a field near JFK International. Anna Lopez, 33: On 5-25-1992 Rifkin met Anna Lopez, a cocaine addict and prostitute. Picked her up, paid her for sex and then strangled her. Dropped her body off in the woods in Putnam County off I84 in Brewster. Violet O'Neill, 21: In 1992 Rifkin met prostitute Violet O’Neill. He took her to his mother’s house, strangled her, and dismembered her in the bathtub. Threw her remains in the waters surrounding Manhattan. Torso was later recovered in the Hudson River. Mary Catherine Williams, 31: On 10-02-1992 Rifkin picked up Mary Catherine Williams, whom he had previously dated. Smothered her in the car after trying to strangle her while passed out. Jenny Soto, 23: On 11-16-1992, Rifkin killed Jenny Soto. Traces of cocaine were found in her body. She fought for life by kicking and scratching so hard that she broke all 10 fingernails clawing at him. She had taken a long time to die, so Joel had to snap her neck. Police think she was killed at about 2 a.m. He dropped the body over a rocky cliff, landing at the edge of Harlem River at the foot of Lincoln Ave. Discovered at 8:00 am wearing only a red and orange striped shirt. Her large gold shell earrings and wallet full of pictures of her boyfriend were missing. Her panties and drug syringe were found in Joel’s room after he was arrested. Two days after the body was identified, the police resigned the case. Astonished by Jenny’s fight for life, Joel took a break for 15 weeks before killing his next victim. Leah Evans, 28: On 2-27-1993, Rifkin killed Leah Evans, who had two children and was out working the streets for drugs. She had dark brown hair and was 95lbs and 4’9. Joel offered her $40 for sex, and when it was over, he strangled her. Dug a shallow grave in Hidden Hill Farm in Northampton. Joel had taken her driver’s license and employee ID card. Lauren Marquez, 30: On 4-02-1993, Rifkin killed Lauren Marquez, who was a tall, thin 28 year old from Tennessee. He admitted that he does not remember taking a souvenir. Immediately after starting sex he grabbed her neck and strangled her. After she died, he deposited her body in the Suffolk County Pine Barrens. Tiffany Bresciani, 22: Body found in bed of Rifkin's pickup truck. On 6-24-1993 Rifkin killed Tiffany Brescani, who was a heroin addict from Louisiana. She was his second prostitute of the night, and he drove her to a parking lot and strangled her at 5:30 a.m. After he killed her, he headed home and stopped along the way to buy rope and tarp of which he wrapped her in and put her in the truck of his mother’s car. Tiffany Bresciani was the girlfriend of Dave Rubinstein, singer and co-founder of the New York-based hardcore punk band Reagan Youth. David Rubinstein committed suicide 1 week after the discovery of Tiffany's death. Rifkin is also suspected to be responsible for some victims whose remains were found in March and April of 2011, previously attributed to the Gilgo Beach Killer. In an April 2011 prison interview with Newsday, Rifkin denied having anything to do with the remains discovered in 2011. Experts and victims' rights advocates, however, believe that those denials have no value. A wheelbarrow was found in Rifkin’s mother's garage with fresh blood in it when Rifkin was arrested. Rifkin claimed it was Tiffany Bresciani’s blood, but it wasn’t. Trivia In the Seinfeld episode "The Masseuse," Elaine's boyfriend is named Joel Rifkin and references to the serial killer are made throughout the episode. The crowd's reaction when his name is announced over the loudspeaker at a New York Giants game they were attending prompts Joel to agree to Elaine's suggestion to change his name. One of the names she suggests is "O.J." while leafing through a football magazine. The episode aired 7 months before Simpson was arrested for the murder of his ex-wife and her friend. Quotes: (Stephen Wright) There's a fine line between fishing and just standing on the shore like an idiot. Always remember you’re unique, just like everybody else. I heard that cannibals don’t eat clowns. They taste funny. When someone’s helping me with map directions I like to ask, “Now is the blue the water or the sky?” Thanks for listening, Frank Gulf Coast Highway was written by Nancy Griffith about her parents. Emmy Lou Harris said the first time she heard this song she was driving and was taken by it she had to pull over. Kudos to Nancy for great writing, but I like Emmy Lou’s version better. Bluebonnets bloom each spring in Texas.
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AuthorFrank F. Weber is a forensic psychologist specializing in homicide and sexual and physical assault cases. He uses his unique understanding of how predator’s think, knowledge of victim trauma, actual court cases, and passion for writing true crime thrillers. His Award Winning books include "Murder Book" (2017) "The I-94 Murders" (2018) "Last Call" (2019) and "Lying Close" (September 2020). Archives
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