Joel David Rifkin, an American serial killer

Joel David Rifkin, a well known serial killer of United States who killed seventeen women. Most of the women killed by him were prostitutes who were addicted of drugs. All these murders took place in New York from 1989 to 1993, though most of the prostitutes were hired at Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Joel David Rifkin was born on January 20th, 1959 in New York. His parents are unknown. He was adopted by Jeanne and Bernard Rifkin when he was three weeks old. After three years, this couple adopted another girl and shifted their family to East Meadow in 1965. Most the life of Joel Rifkin was spent in East Meadow. His adoptive father, Bernard Rifkin was suffering from cancer and got exhausted with the disease, committed suicide in February, 1987. Joel Rifkin was very much depressed with his adoptive father’s death. At this time he got grip with prostitutes, murders and violence.

First time he was arrested for soliciting prostitutes in Long Island on August 22nd, 1987. But his family members were unaware of this incident. Later in 1989, he killed a prostitute which was his first murder.

Joel Rifkin was represented in the court by John Lawrence, Minneola based attorney.