Richard Beasley was sentenced to death by the State of Ohio for a series of murders committed through Craiglist. According to court documents Richard Beasley and Brogan Rafferty would lure men through the Craiglist website and when they arrived they would be robbed and murdered . Richard Beasley and Brogan Rafferty would be arrested, convicted and sentenced. Richard Beasley to death and teenager Brogan Rafferty to life in prison without parole
Richard Beasley 2021 Information
Number A640970
DOB 06/15/1959
Gender Male Race White
Admission Date 04/05/2013
Institution Chillicothe Correctional Institution
Status INCARCERATED
Richard Beasley More News
Craigslist killer Richard Beasley returned to Summit County Common Pleas Court via video Wednesday to be resentenced because of a procedural error during his first sentencing.
The net result was the same, though, with the Akron man sentenced to death and to multiple consecutive sentences for his other crimes.
Beasley, 61, appeared via video from the Chillicothe Correctional Institution, sitting in a wheelchair next to Don Hicks, one of his attorneys. Both wore masks.
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in January that Beasley must be resentenced for his convictions on numerous non-capital charges because of a technical issue involving his original sentencing. The court upheld his death sentence.
Beasley was convicted of posting bogus job offers on Craigslist to rob and murder three men in 2011. Beasley and his teenage accomplice, Brogan Rafferty of Stow, were convicted in 2013. Rafferty got life in prison without parole, while Beasley was sentenced to death.
The murders made national news because Beasley used Craigslist to lure the men to a remote spot in southern Ohio. The scheme was only uncovered when a fourth man was shot but escaped.
Beasley was convicted of aggravated murder — resulting in the death sentence — and numerous other offenses, including attempted murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping. Judge Lynne Callahan, who is now on the 9th District Court of Appeals bench, imposed sentences for these other charges to run consecutively to Beasley’s death sentence.
The Ohio Supreme Court, though, ruled that Callahan didn’t follow one of the requirements for consecutive sentences. She needed to specify that “consecutive sentences are not disproportionate to the seriousness of the offender’s conduct and the danger the offender poses to the public,” the court said.
Beasley’s resentencing was delayed several times because of procedural issues related to COVID-19 and the requirement that he have an attorney present with him in prison, as well as one in court.
During the resentencing Wednesday, Donald Gallick, Beasley’s attorney who appeared via video, argued that consecutive sentences for someone already facing the death penalty are unnecessary.
“He’s sentenced to death and they give him consecutive sentences — so he won’t be able commit any crimes after he’s executed,” Gallick said. “To me, that seems nonsensical.”
Assistant Summit County Prosecutor Jacquenette Corgan, however, said Beasley’s sentences should stand.
Summit County Common Pleas Judge Kelly McLaughlin sided with prosecutors, imposing the same multiple consecutive sentences as Callahan. McLaughlin read the phrase that was omitted during the original sentencing
Two family members of Beasley’s victims attended the video resentencing but chose not to speak.
Beasley asked if he could back get a Celtic cross taken during the investigation. He said the necklace has been passed down through his family and he’d like to give it to his daughter who was recently married. He said it has nothing to do with the case.
“There’s no reason for you to keep it,” he said. “That’s the only thing my daughter will have of me.”
McLaughlin said she will talk to the attorneys about his request.
Beasley, who has maintained his innocence, still has post-conviction appeals pending. Hicks and Gallick also are representing him in those appeals.Gallick said the consecutive-sentences issue likely will be one of the subjects of the appeals.
