NY NY/NJ - JOEL RIFKIN Pre 1994

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watcher9

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Joel Rifkin was arrested in 1993 when a body was found in the trunk of his car after a routine traffic stop for a missing license plate.

During questioning, Rifkin said he dismembered his first victim, a prostitute, and put her head and legs in streams in New Jersey, police said.

Rifkin was convicted of nine murders and is believed to be responsible for at least 17 deaths, most of them prostitutes. He is serving a 203-year prison sentence.

He continues to be named/suspected in other cases as new remains are found. I have not been following his history, but a search on his name in WS brings up several cases that can be linked to this serial killer file so there will be the master file whenever he is being researched.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/201...-long-island-serial-killers-first-victim?lite
 
Here's a link to the thread on Heidi Balch, one of his victims who was just identified this week, after 24 plus years. There is a lot of info on this thread.

www.websleuths.com

Identified! - NJ - Mercer Co., WhtFem 288UFNJ, 18-30, J. Rifkin Victim, Mar'89 - Heidi Balch

http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/mpch/mpdetails.asp?id='M10/16/20014:53:27PM' Case Number: M8809003Case Type: Endangered - Foul Play PossibleLast Seen in: Midland (Midland County)Last Seen on: 2/2/1980Height: 5' 8 " Weight: 120 lbs. Age Missing: 19 Eye Color: BlueHair Color: BrownDate of Birth...
www.websleuths.com www.websleuths.com

Heidi Balch - Joel Rifkin victim

Case History
The victim was murdered by Joel David Rifkin in March 1989. He picked her up in Manhattan’s East Village, NY at around 10:00 pm. She was a drug addict and prostitute.
Rifkin beat and strangled her and then dismembered her body. To foil identification, Rifkin severed her fingertips and pulled her teeth with pliers, then jammed her severed head into an old paint can.
Rifkin drove the body parts across the state line to New Jersey, dropping the head and legs in the woods near Hopewell. Then he returned to Manhattan, pitching the arms and torso into the East River. On March 5, 1989, a member of the Hopewell Valley Golf Club in Hopewell Township, NJ found the can containing the victim's head near the 7th tee. Her legs were found in Pequonnock Creek, Jefferson Township, NJ on 4/8/89. Match confirmed by DNA testing.
The case remained unsolved until Rifkin confessed in 1993.
 
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Many moons ago, LE that I worked with responded to the scene when the legs of his first victim were found.. If I remember correctly they linked the remains from the two scenes pretty quickly (well quickly for 1980's).
 
Probably the only "good" thing about Joel, is that he would probably admit to victims that were his, in the event remains were uncovered.

As far as serial killers go Joel has been one of the more forthcoming individuals, seeming to want to know the "why" about himself as much as others do .
 
Serial killer Joel Rifkin arrested in 1993

He claimed to have placed bodies in oil drums and dumped them in the Hudson and Harlem rivers. He also recalled dumping one woman's body in Brooklyn's Coney Island Creek and burying another in a town dump in Somers, in Westchester.


He recalled only ONE at Coney Island Creek yet TWO women in oil drums appeared there.

Honestly I think he killed more than he said he has. But that is just me.
 
madamx said:
Serial killer Joel Rifkin arrested in 1993

He claimed to have placed bodies in oil drums and dumped them in the Hudson and Harlem rivers. He also recalled dumping one woman's body in Brooklyn's Coney Island Creek and burying another in a town dump in Somers, in Westchester.


He recalled only ONE at Coney Island Creek yet TWO women in oil drums appeared there.

Honestly I think he killed more than he said he has. But that is just me.
Click to expand...


Maybe, but again, they got him on 9 and hes claiming 17, the one thing about Joel, is that he confessed almost instantly, hes been extremely open about his crimes, because hes in a non death penalty state and already serving life, I cant see why he wouldnt reveal further crimes.

Hes also been more than willing to subject himself to any and all psychological tests put before him,research on him also spawned new discoveries about the criminal brain

From what I gather most feel hes telling the truth about the 17 , but you never know
 
Kell1 said:
Maybe, but again, they got him on 9 and hes claiming 17, the one thing about Joel, is that he confessed almost instantly, hes been extremely open about his crimes, because hes in a non death penalty state and already serving life, I cant see why he wouldnt reveal further crimes.

Hes also been more than willing to subject himself to any and all psychological tests put before him,research on him also spawned new discoveries about the criminal brain

From what I gather most feel hes telling the truth about the 17 , but you never know
Click to expand...

Maybe he does not remember..I dont know.. maybe he just wants to keep some for himself or keep people guessing and still interested and talking about him.. who knows.

RIFKIN MAY HAVE KILLED MORE THAN HE ADMITTED | Latest Headlines | buffalonews.com

Rifkin Linked to an 18th Killing As Prosecution Rests in His Trial - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
 
madamx said:
Maybe he does not remember..I dont know.. maybe he just wants to keep some for himself or keep people guessing and still interested and talking about him.. who knows.

RIFKIN MAY HAVE KILLED MORE THAN HE ADMITTED | Latest Headlines | buffalonews.com

Rifkin Linked to an 18th Killing As Prosecution Rests in His Trial - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Click to expand...


Im not saying thats not the case, but hes already admitted to more than they have him on, he stands to lose nothing by not , so i cant see why he wouldnt.

Theres always the possibiity however , you could be right .
 
Kell1 said:
Im not saying thats not the case, but hes already admitted to more than they have him on, he stands to lose nothing by not , so i cant see why he wouldnt.

Theres always the possibiity however , you could be right .
Click to expand...

ooooh I don’t know...He could be telling the truth.. I think Iam so tainted at this point, I trust no one ha!!!! But that is just me!
 
madamx said:
ooooh I don’t know...He could be telling the truth.. I think Iam so tainted at this point, I trust no one ha!!!! But that is just me!
Click to expand...


No youre not wrong to , i mean he is a serial killer, theyre not known as the most forthcoming individuals
 
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