'Craigslist Killing' Update: Brogan Rafferty Receives Jury Verdict
The former Stow-Munroe Falls High School student heard his verdict today in Summit County Court of Common Pleas after three days of jury deliberation.
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Brogan Rafferty, the now 17-year-old involved in the "Craigslist Killings," is guilty.
That's according to a 12-person Summit County jury after three days of deliberation. The counts are listed below for each of the four victims. The jury found Rafferty not guilty of identity fraud.
- Nine counts of aggravated murder with firearm specifications
- One count of attempted murder with a firearm specification
- Four counts of aggravated robbery, a felony of the first degree, with firearm specifications
- Four counts of kidnapping, a felony of the first degree
- One count of grand theft, a felony of the third degree
- One count of grand theft, a felony of the fourth degree
- Receiving stolen property, a felony of the fourth degree
- Three counts of petty theft, a misdemeanor of the first degree
The teen, who was 16 when arrested, faces life in prison without a chance of parole if convicted of aggravated murder.
His sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 5 at 9 a.m. in front of Judge Lynne Callahan.
The 17-year-old faces life in prison without chance of parole if convicted of aggravated murder in the shooting deaths of the men last year. Rafferty will not face the death penalty because he is a juvenile.
Richard Beasley, who is said to be Rafferty's mentor, will have a trial soon for murder charges involved in the killings from bogus Craigslist job ads.
Amanda Harnocz
9:54 am on Wednesday, October 31, 2012
UPDATE: Prosecutor Sherri Bevan Walsh's office sent out a correction this morning. Rafferty was convicted of nine counts of Aggravated Murder, not five as originally written in Tuesday night's press release. The story has been updated to reflect the accurate information.
Melissa Bysura
11:55 am on Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Horrible verdict. Given this kids history he needed therapy not prison. Don't get me wrong, I'm an advocate for the death penalty and harsh sentencings but this kid is just as much a victim of Richard Beasley as the poor souls who were killed. And where are the charges against his father for gross child abuse and neglect? This kid never stood a chance.
Jim Beezy
1:15 am on Thursday, November 1, 2012
@MelissaBysura What do you mean he never had a chance?!!?? Are you saying this kid didn't know right from wrong?? As in it's wrong to kill another human being unless in self-defense? GTFOH with that line of thinking. I agree that his parents are directly responsible, but he knew what he was doing. After the first person he killed, you don't think he knew he was wrong????!!! There were four victims!!! He knew what he was doing, and now he'll pay the consequences!!!
Concerned Citizen
4:33 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
I disagree that he is as much of a victim. He is alive and he has the opportunity to repent and see God's forgiveness and grace. He may even go onto to do honorable things in prison where he is in a controlled environment. It would be nice if we could throw his parents in prison too. BTW.....I'm not really for Capital Punishment.....Locking them up and throwing away the key is enough.
Melissa Bysura
9:15 am on Thursday, November 1, 2012
Jim,
Your tone towards me is disgusting and unwarranted, get a grip and bring it down a notch. You can disagree with me without making yourself sound like a lunatic. You got the verdict you wanted for this kid so there's no need to flip out. Don't let my opinion ruin your joy. Happy Thursday :)
Jim Beezy
12:07 pm on Thursday, November 1, 2012
Hey Melissa, if that's how you took my tone, then that's on you. It's out of my control of how you feel after reading a comment. Although this kid got what he deserved, I'm not extremely happy about it. He's probably about to get life w/out parole, which means that he's about to be another statistic whom the taxpayers are about to flip the bill for the rest of his life. He'll never be a productive part of society. What gets me the most is where the parenting went wrong for this kid to end up in the situation he currently is in. Lack of supervision, too many video games, wrong kinds of friends, etc... I don't know all the variables that led this kid to do what he did!! What I do know is that he wasn't a victim of circumstances, he made a choice to kill (or assist in killing) those men, and now he'll be paying the consequences for his actions.
On a related note, my friend since kindergarten lives in Stowe OH, and his stepson's were (or are) friends with Brogan Rafferty. One of his stepson's is currently in jail for stealing a truck, crashing into cars and almost injuring several police officers. When my friend married his current wife, it was her kids who couldn't deal with the structure in the household that he was trying to provide for his two boys, as well as her three sons. His wife let her kids run over her long before my friend came into the picture. And I'm assuming that's a similar scenario which Rafferty grew up in. No structure and lack of discipline.;)
Jack Kelly
5:58 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Uhh...Melissa, YOU now sound like the lunatic.
You should practice what YOU preach about "getting a grip" and "bringing it down a notch" drama queen.
And given your comments in your original response, you deserved to be ripped. And if the tone you received was of that, then it WAS rightfully deserved. The fact that you think Richard Beasley was as "much of a victim" as the innocent, unknowing victims that were murdered speaks volumes.
I suggest laying off the crack or booze or whatever hallucinogen you're ingesting.
Melissa Bysura
2:13 am on Friday, November 2, 2012
Jim,
No need to "assume" what Rafferty's situation was, read the court transcripts and witness testimony. His whole life (from birth) was accounted for. My original post was my opinion based off the FACTS of this boys life. Read up on it and get back to me. I stand behind my original post.... this kid never stood a chance.
And yes, your response to me was offensive. I don't think "GTFOH" was necessary and it's certainly not how I raise my boys to speak to women, but that's just me.
Jack Kelly
6:00 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
Spare us the "how I raised my boys to speak to women" bullcrap. Men AND women deserve to be treated accordingly. Because you have a uterus does not give you some sort of protection. Especially when YOU bring it upon yourself.
Just like that hoodrat woman who rightfully received the uppercut from that RTA bus driver.
Concerned Citizen
4:28 pm on Friday, November 9, 2012
As a society in whole, We can't continue to use excuses on a kid's background or upbringing as reasons for them to kill or commit other crimes. Unfortunately, we cannot take these kids away from their Mom as soon as they exit the womb. Because we are a free society, there would be an outrage if we did this. Therefore, what are you going to do? We provide Welfare, WIC, Subsidized/Free Housing, Let them get raised in an unfit household where the baby daddy is usually not present, they grow up to commit crimes (sometimes as horrific as Rafferty), they go to prison and thankfully this time they are throwing away the key. Harsh, yes. It is a reactive process instead of a proactive process. I would much rather remove the infant from the environment as soon as they exit the wormb, but we can't do that because we are a free society. Flame away.....Reality is harsh. Prayers and Peace to the Victims Family. May Rafferty repent and seek grace from Our Lord.