Unexpected Killer

The face of the “craigslist killer” is not what many people expected it to be. Phillip Markoff was arrested without bail last Monday for the murder of Julissa Brisman, a young woman he met because she was advertised as a masseuse on craigslist. Markoff shot Brisman at a Boston Hotel where they were scheduled to meet shortly after arriving. Markoff is also suspected for the kidnapping and robbery of an exotic dancer and the armed robbery of a prostitute in Rhode Island, both took place prior to the Brisman murder. Markoff is an unexpected candidate- an engaged 22 year old Boston Medical student with no record and a loving, supportive family. Markoff was visited to his family on the Friday after his arrest and although they made no personal statement to the press their attorney spoke for them in support of Markoff. Markoff’s fiancé has also made a public statement in support of her husband claiming that he is the wrong man and that he is “a beautiful person inside and out and could not hurt a fly.”
Markoff was described by his neighbors as an “average Joe” and by all appearances he seems to be. Appearances, as we all know, can be deceiving. This is a perfect example of the power of social conditioning/cultural expectations and how they shape our outlook on others. Cultural values and expectations have led us to automatically assume things about people. Markoff’s description took everyone by surprise. Such a mainstream “normal” guy is nobody’s main suspect for brutal murder. Markoff and his family exemplify the shortcomings of social perceptions and normalized cultural views. People’s situations in life lead us to make assumptions about them, for example- that a man who is engaged and in medical school would not be a murderer.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/04/25/craigslist.slaying/index.html