Newsman's 'Gay Slay' Puts Spotlight on Craigslist

In the wake of a teenager's confession to killing a well known newsman in New York after a paid date for rough sex went awry, Craigslist--the online service used by the victim to arrange the date--has come under scrutiny.

An March 26 article in the New York Post disclosed new details about the incident in which New york newsman George Weber died after being stabbed an estimate 50 times.

The sixteen-year-old boy who confessed to the crime, John Katehis, reportedly has a girlfriend, and allegedly agreed to the date--which the suspect said included choking his client--for an $80 fee.

Earlier reportes placed the agreed-up sum at $60.

Katehis, who said that he had "blanked out" while stabbing Weber, and who claimed to have been on drugs at the time, entered a not guilty plea to the charge of second degree murder, the article said.

Katehis offered an account in which Weber pulled a knife to free his feet, which were bound with duct tape; the teen said that he became panicked at the sight of the knife, and responded by taking the weapon from Weber and stabbing him. However, Katehis said that he only stabbed Weber twice before fleeing the scene.

The killing took place on the night of March 20; when police entered the apartment on the morning of March 22, they found Weber's body with the feet still bound and blood splashed about the apartment, according to media sources.

Police also noted that water had been left running in the sink and bathtub, and speculated that the killer washed up after the attack.

Police also noted that the apartment was in disarray as though ransacked.

The teen, who is an aficionado of bladed weapons and has posted a variety of photos of himself posing with such weapons online, also entered a not guilty plea to a weapons charge.

Weber may have managed to inflict a wound on Katehis: the teen was seen on a city train "bleeding profusely" from his hand, where he'd suffered a cut he later claimed to police at a hospital came from a broken bottle, and investigators said that the suspect's blood was found in Weber's apartment.

Investigators identified Katehis as a suspect after checking Weber's Internet and cell phone usage.

Weber's Internet activity indicated that he had made contact with Katehis via Cragslist, where sex for pay seems to be a commonplace offering--and where, according to one newspaper article, minors are offered for sexual services.

Even before Weber's killing--dubbed a "gay slay" by the media--generated headlines, Craiglist was being scrutinized by law enforcement.

A separate New York Post article, also posted on March 26, said that several weeks ago the site was sued by a sheriff in Illinois who was seeking to see its "erotic services" page discontinued.

The Post article quoted Sheriff Thomas Dart of Cook County, Ill., as saying, "Craigslist is the single largest source of prostitution in the nation."

The article cited Craiglist itself as all but admitting to the nature of the postings with a disclaimer that reads, "It's not possible for a centralized staff... to effectively review each of the more than 30 million free postings submitted per month."

The site also posts a message reading, "human trafficking and exploitation of minors are not tolerated--any suspected activity will be reported to law enforcement," reported a March 20 article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

But a March 26 survey of Cragslist's New York ads revealed messages that read like thinly-disguised ads for fee-based sexual services, with posters looking for "generous" clients.

Read one ad, "looking to please U generous guys only who wanna have some fun tonight," while another promised "100% satisfaction," adding, "I guarantee it!!"

Continued the ad, "In and out calls Im [sic] available 24/7," going on to add, "call me now for the best available service..."

Still another ad poster sought "to suck off a generous man.

"You must be disease free and hiv [sic] negative," the ad continued.

One ad made the claim of having been posted by a "young college guy" who was "seeking older generous guy for fun and help," adding, "please be safe and sane and only reply if you are interested in helping... would love a reg[ular] thing."

The ad specified, "love hot execs and lawyers."

Some ads cloaked the nature of the services on offer by referring to them as "massage."

Read one ad, "I am a skilled masseur and goood [sic] at intense deep tissue and oil massage."

Added the posting, "Besides I am fun and easy to talk to.... Please come here and have our party together!"

The ad promised "reasonable rates."

Another posting advertised "a trained and licensed massage therapist, that mixes a combination of erotic, sensual and therapeutic [sic]."

however, the ad went on to say that "nude and mutual touching is definetly [sic] allowed," and added, "when the massage is over, we will have a little playtime to help you get out that other stress with force.

"your gonna love how you feel when i am finished with you."

Read another ad, "Let me touch you all over till I hot [sic] your spot."

Added the posting, "I guarantee you a good time," and specified that, "Donations are required."

As if to underscore the business nature of the ads, many carried the warning, "it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests."

The Star-Tribune article said that a Minneapolis police officer, Sgt. Grant Snyder, and his partner, Sgt. Matt Wente, discovered and put a stop to two criminal operations that sold the sexual services of minors via the site, including the 15-year-old sister of a 23-year-old female escort.

The article quoted Snyder as saying,"The majority of juvenile prostitution takes place on Craigslist.

"Craigslist gives people the perception of anonymity, and it's easy for anybody to put up an ad."

Added the officer, "While the ads don't overtly say the girls are juveniles, people can read between the lines."

The New York Post pointed out that for users of the site's ads there were dangers aplenty. One man answered an online ad in 2006, only to be met by a gang of young men looking to bash him; in trying to escape, he was struck by a passing car and killed.

Also, a heterosexual man answering an ad was killed by men whose intention was robbery last year, the article said.

The New York Post quoted Jim Buckmaster, the CEO of Craigslist, as making a statement on Weber's death.

Said the site's chief executive, "We are horrified and deeply saddened that Craigslist may have been associated in any way whatsoever with a crime of violence."