They got into a fight literally where Colin Ferguson because he was truly very crazy, he was like, 'I killed six devils, you just killed people.'. A New School Year Begins At Woodcreek High School: Exciting Opportunities And Experiences Await! Mr. Rifkin, now 52, is an inmate at the Clinton state prison in Dannemora, N.Y., near the Canadian border. His obsession drained Rifkin of what little money he had, causing him to move in and out of his parents' house throughout the 1980s. Hes not evil. Joel Rifkin was adopted just three weeks after his birth on January 20, 1959, and most accounts suggest that he was raised by a loving, middle-class family. [4] He graduated from East Meadow High School in 1977, then attended classes at Nassau Community College, the State University of New York at Brockport, and the State University of New York at Farmingdale, but left before earning a degree. He received two more consecutive terms of 25 years to life in prison. Rifkin was born in 1959 and was adopted when he was only three weeks old. In real life, Joel Rifkin's early years could have been worse. of 128. After Tiffany failed to return, Rubinstein called the police with a description of the 1984 Mazda pickup truck that Rifkin drove. As troopers came up to the car, they detected a strong odor from the back of the truck. New York couple Bernard and Jeanne Rifkin adopted Joel three weeks after his birth. MARCUS PARKS . Never identified, remains never recovered. Others are victims of traumatic abuse from parents, guardians, and/or peers while growing up. And then the guy beat the shit out of him. CNN's Chris Cuomo interviewed Rifkin for his Inside Evil series and unsurprisingly concluded that the answer is likely a complex combination of both. Several identified killers have been suspected at one point of being the Gilgo Beach Killer or having a connection to him: Joel Rifkin. Inside the Mind of a Killer By ABC News Oct. 27, 2002 -- Joel Rifkin strangled 17 prostitutes in four years, at random and without remorse. Exploring Factors Benefits And Drawbacks. Police took Rifkin into custody. Rifkin was different from his peers, which led them to exclude him, especially when he tried to get involved in activities like the track team and the yearbook club. In this exclusive sneak peek from April 10's new Oxygen special, Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer, Joel Rifkin detailed a murder he committed. He moved to Manorville in 2003, but knew the area . The childhood indicators of Joel Rifkin with the onset of early dyslexia and extreme shyness should have prompted his parents to recognize the need for dedicated help. And he lives or used to live on or near Ocean Parkway on the South Shore of Long Island, where the police have found as many as 10 sets of human remains. Besides singling out prostitutes, Mr. Rifkin, Mr. Shulman and the current killer have traits in common. Im not either. Among his victims during this year were prostitutes Barbara Jacobs, Mary Ellen DeLuca and Yun Lee. Los mensajes de texto ms ridculos escritos por los padres, The Dark Truth About The LuLaRoe Marketing Cult, The Mystery Of Marjorie Wilson's Disappearance, The Tragic Real-Life Story Of The Hilton Family, How Many Black Belts Does Donnie Yen Really Have. Joel Rifkin was born in New York City on January 20, 1959. In interviews with serial-killer experts and criminologists, including a former F.B.I. You may know him as the real-life embodiment of Lex Luthor, that rich bald guy, or that, The NBA markets its stars better than any other sports organization in North America. According to Camacho, Alcala said, Wait a minute, give me my pants. Well take three seconds now, I said. Rifkin sued, arguing that his solitary imprisonment was unconstitutional. While working at the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, he was rejected by a pretty blonde intern he was crushing on. He kept detailed notes on each murder, detailing his method and motive. Some of the victims were taken to his East Meadow home by his parents, where he lived with them on Long Island. Rifkin was soon put up for adoption and adopted by a New York couple Bernard and Jeanne Rifkin three weeks after his birth. Mr. Rifkin, a 34-year-old unemployed gardener from East Meadow, confessed to killing 17 women between 1989 and 1993, when he was arrested. He admitted to killing 17 women between 1989 and 1993, and is now serving a 203-year sentence. Joel Rifkin, New York's most prolific serial killer responsible for the deaths of 17 women, spoke matter-of-factly of striking one of his victims over the head with an artillery shell up to 30. His victims were most likely prostitutes, who were murdered and dismembered in an attempt to conceal their identities. Its a steal, he added, in reference to the home selling well below the market price. Rifkin is believed to have murdered up to 17 young women and he spoke calmly and thoughtfully about his actions with an element of reliving the crimes as he spoke to you about them. Instead of treating him like a potential asset to the team, his track teammates dunked his head in the toilet bowl, hid his clothes, and called him a lard a**. Meanwhile, someone stole Rifkins camera soon after he signed up for the yearbook staff, and while he worked hard to get the senior yearbook published, he was rewarded for his efforts by not being invited to the year-end wrap party. Joel Rifkin's birth parents were both young college students, his biological father an army veteran. . Joel Rifkin was adopted just three weeks after his birth on January 20, 1959, and most accounts suggest that he was raised by a loving, middle-class family. However, Joel Rifkin would go on to have his name etched in New York history by becoming the State's most prolific Serial Killer. In June 1993, Rifkin strangled hooker Tiffany Bresciani and drove her back to his mother's home, stopping at stores along the way for rope and tarp, while Bresciani's corpse lay in the backseat of his mother's car. Body found on June 28, 1993, on the floor of Rifkin's pickup truck, This page was last edited on 20 February 2023, at 22:50. He is thought to have an IQ between 205 and 225, making him one of the smartest people on the planet. He then attended Brooklyn College for a semester before dropping out. Joel David Rifkin (born January 20, 1959) is an American serial killer who was sentenced to 203 years in prison for the murders of nine women between 1989 and 1993. Rifkin dropped out of high school in 1976, but later obtained a GED. Just a few days earlier, Jeanne had driven the car while the body was decomposing in the trunk. They apparently visited him twice a week and phoned him while he was in jail awaiting his conviction. Multiple prospective buyers backed away from the home after learning of its disturbing history, but one couple snagged it in 2011 for $322,000 $102,500 lower than the asking price, Patch reported at the time. Profiling serial murderers is far from a precise science. American serial killer Joel David Rifkin was born January 20, 1959. That same year, after several conflicts with other inmates, prison officials decided that Rifkin's presence at the prison was disruptive. When New York's most prolific killer was inside Attica Penitentiary -- a maximum security campus of New York State prison in the town of Attica -- he agreed to talk to his former college friend and retired NYPD detective Robert Mladinich. At the time of the crimes, Bittrolff was 27 years old and grew up in Mastic Beach. Joel David Rifkin (born January 20, 1959) is an American serial killer convicted of the murder of 9 women (although it is believed he killed as many as 17), mostly drug addicted prostitutes, between 1989 and 1993 in New York City. [13][5][14], On June 28, 1993, state troopers patrolling Long Island's Southern State Parkway noticed the pickup truck without a license plate. profiler, a portrait emerges of the man who investigators on Long Island believe is responsible for several of the bodies they have discovered in the brush off Ocean Parkway since December. Joel Rifkin had been adopted by Bernard Rifkin and Jeanne Rifkin when he was an infant, according to Robert Mladinich's 2001 book, "From the Mouth of the Monster: The Joel Rifkin Story." His . When police arrested Joel Rifkin during a routine traffic stop in 1993, there didnt seem to be anything too peculiar at first the Long Island native was, after all, simply caught driving without a license tag. Joel Rifkin, the most prolific serial killer in New York history, was adopted at the age of 3 weeks and raised by loving, community-minded, and educated parents. When he was a kid, Rifkin was a smart man. A New York Times reporter described her as distraught and crestfallen in his report. Although Rifkin and his mother have asserted that there was no abuse in his childhood, there were still some signs of trouble. And his classmates simply didn't like him something they had no problem expressing. He called his conviction a tragedy, but later, in prison, he got into an argument with mass murderer Colin Ferguson over whose killing spree was more important, and when Ferguson taunted him for only killing women, Rifkin said, "Yeah, but I had more victims." Create your free profile and get access to exclusive content. According to Murderpedia, Rifkins high school bullies referred to him as an abuse unit and a subtly obnoxious person who was easy to take advantage of. Joel David Rifkin (born January 20, 1959) is an American serial killer who was sentenced to 203 years in prison for the murders of nine women between 1989 and 1993. Tiffany Brescianis body was discovered in the trunk of his car after he crashed into a pole. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. He would actually get sexual pleasure out of the murder.. Rifkin had difficulty fitting in with his peers and became a frequent target of school bullies. It featured interviews with Rifkins family, friends, and law enforcement officials, as well as archival footage and photos. Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more. He hid her severed head in an old paint can, and stashed the rest of her body into garbage bags. 6:55 am, State University of New York at Brockport, State University of New York at Farmingdale, List of serial killers in the United States, List of serial killers by number of victims, "N.Y. police are led to two bodies 10 other cases may be involved", "Woman whose severed head was found on Hopewell golf course in 1989 is identified", "Severed head found in New Jersey in '89 ID'd, linked to serial killer", "Heidi Balch Identified: Severed Head Found On Golf Course Was Serial Killer Joel Rifkin's First Victim", "Accused Serial Killer on L.I. Mary Calvi, Inside The Mind Of Serial Killer Joel Rifkin on newyork.cbslocal.com, Retrieved on Jan 21, 2019. Remains found on December 21, 1992, in Yorktown, New York. Most murders, theres an additional motive to it. A routine traffic stop brought him to justice in 1993 and he eventually confessed to 17 murders, but his disturbing legacy continues to fuel questions about the nature of the murderous mind and its true origins. Joel Rifkin an American serial killer known as The Drifter and Joel the Ripper. . Joel Rifkin - Serial Killer - Documentary Jesusmalaarki 28.2K subscribers Subscribe 7.5K Save 2.1M views 10 years ago Show more Show more Notice Age-restricted video (based on Community. Joel Rifkin 2023 - Biography at Wikipedia (Wiki, Age, Birthday) Joel Rifkin was born on January 20, 1959 in Long Island, New York, United States Joel Rifkin at: Wikipedia.org | Astro.com | Astrotheme.com. The mistreatment and isolation eventually wore on Rifkin, who began retreating to his own disturbed world. You only have to go in there and take one look at her to know she had no inkling of this, neighbor Joy Reiter told Times. Called a Suspect in 1989 Slaying of a Woman", "Joel Rifkin's first victim ID'd from severed head, was Heidi Balch, cops say", "25 years after Joel Rifkin's arrest, key players look back at the case", "Bright, Careful and Sadistic: Profiling Long Island's Mystery Serial Killer", "How Police Identified Severed Head After 24-Year Mystery", "In Serial-Killer Inquiry, Doubts Arise on Prostitute Link", "Three States Investigating Tale of Killing", "3 More Victims of Serial Killer Are Identified", "State Police Link Possible 18th Victim to Suspect in Slayings", "NY - NY - Sayville, WHT/HispFem 25-39, UP11852, nude in dumpster, poss Joel Rifkin victim, Mar'92", "Reporter's Notebook; The Sad, Angry Vigils at Rifkin's Court Hearings", "Police Identify 13th Body As Victim of L.I. Looking at the backgrounds of serial killers, many of them show certain traitsas children that could predict their future behaviors in adulthood. Mickey was performing, playing in a band in Cleveland, Ohio, which is where Joel Grey was born. Despite an Intelligence Quotient of 128, Biography said Rifkin struggled in school due to undiagnosed dyslexia. Corrections officials said that Rifkin was imprisoned with more than 200 other inmates at Clinton who were not allowed into the general prison population.[1]. Joel Rifkins Relationship With His Dad, Explained, Why Joel Rifkin Collected Trinkets From His Victims. Despite an Intelligence Quotient of 128, Biographysaid Rifkin struggled in school due to undiagnosed dyslexia. He was convicted of murder the following year and later pleaded guilty to additional counts of murders. [11] Investigators determined in 2013 that Balch and the woman he described as his first victim were the same person. Identity remains unknown. Rifkin worked a variety of jobs before becoming an assistant to a photographer in 1979. Mind of a Killer tries to explain why people kill. How Much Money Does Jeff Bezos Make Per Hour? Some investigators have said the killer might be an active or former law enforcement officer, because his phone calls to the relative did not last long enough to pinpoint his location and were made from Times Square and other crowded sites, which would make it more difficult for the authorities to pick him out using surveillance cameras. Joel Rifkin was born in New York City on January 20, 1959. For much of his youth, Joel Rifkin felt like he was letting his dad down by being his exact opposite; on a more pointed note, Oxygen described the relationship between father and son as rocky. Nonetheless, after Ben Rifkin died by suicide in 1987, one year after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Joel chose to remember his father as a loving parent when he was delivering his eulogy. Joel Rifkin, who is the focus of Oxygens new special Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer, targeted sex workers in New York City. Rifkin murdered 17 prostitutes between 1994 and 1998, at random and without explanation. He dismembered the corpse as before, but this time he placed the body parts in buckets weighted with concrete and tossed the remains into the East River and a Brooklyn canal. People / Joel Rifkin. When she continued to struggle, he strangled her to death. Three weeks later, Bernard and Jeanne Rifkin adopted young Joel. Tali Shapiro was kidnapped by Abraham Alcala in 1944 and held captive for 26 days. .css-m6thd4{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;display:block;margin-top:0;margin-bottom:0;font-family:Gilroy,Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;font-size:1.125rem;line-height:1.2;font-weight:bold;color:#323232;text-transform:capitalize;}@media (any-hover: hover){.css-m6thd4:hover{color:link-hover;}}Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Adnan Syed: A Complete Timeline of His Trial, Appeal and Killing of Hae Min Lee. Robert Shulman, of Hicksville, N.Y., leaving a police station on Long Island in 1996. Ko se je Rifkin rodil, sta bila oba njegova stara tudenta. There are nearly three million people on Long Island, and the man who killed at least four prostitutes who advertised for clients on Craigslist is perhaps but one. As David Gonzalez of The New York Times writes, Weegee eschewed the "just-the-facts approach of routine police crime scene photography" to capture "the details and drama, the humor and the horror, along the city's streets." The gallery above captures a number of Weegee's photos, along with some taken by other contemporaneous shutterbugs, in . Ron Rifkin attends the Reception Celebrating Joel Grey's New Book "1.3 - IMAGES FROM MY PHONE" at Michael's on June 3, 2009 in New York City. Named in court records asJoel Rifkin of the State of New York on June 28, 1993, imprisoned at Clinton Correctional Facility on September 20, 1993, for a total of 9 more rows. For more on Joel Rifkin, watch Rifkin on Rifkin: Private Confessions of a Serial Killer on Oxygen. He was on his way to dump the corpse about 15 miles north of his home, when police troopers noted he was missing a rear license plate on his truck. Remains found in July 1992 in the Harlem River at 123rd Street, the East River at 23rd Street, and near Governors Island. How Many Online Classes Should High School Students Take? However, after Rifkin tried to flee and ended up crashing his car into a pole, the body of a missing sex worker was discovered in the trunk of the vehicle; Rifkin would later confess to killing a total of 17 women over a span of four years, offering details such as the names of the victims and the locations where he dumped their body parts. It takes a certain degree of care and carefulness to assemble dozens.. And then Joel Rifkin's like, 'Well that killed 17 of them.'. Scroll below and check more details information about Current Net worth as well as Monthly/Year Salary, Expense, Income Reports! As further noted, this was due to an undiagnosed case of dyslexia. Childhood exposure to mercury is known to increase the risk of prostate cancer as an adult. Mickey Katz was a musician -- a clarinetist and a saxophone player -- in bands around the east. Identified in September 1993. Rifkin's parents also raised an adoptive daughter who was popular, intelligent, and conscientious. . This begs the question of what may have turned him into such a dangerous individual by the time he started his killing spree in 1989. Joel Rifkin: American serial killer (1959-), Murderer, Serial killer, Criminal, From: United States of America. Like another notorious serial killer Ed Kemper, Rifkin created a dark fantasy world to replace real human interaction and connection. Police were unable to uncover the victim's identity, or who was responsible for the murder. He had a very troubled childhood with a lot of psychological abuse from an alcoholic mother which attributed to most of his psychosis. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. He was transferred to the Nassau County Correctional Facility in East Meadow to prepare to stand trial. Growing up, Ben Rifkin was a good student and athlete, as opposed to Joel, who was clumsy and uncoordinated and did poorly in school despite being tested with an I.Q. [9] Her remains were not identified until 2013. Looking at the backgrounds of serial killers, many of them show certain traitsas children that could predict their future behaviors in adulthood. The remains of a child may be among those discovered recently, raising the possibility that the dunes may have been used over the years by more than one killer. Each one was reported missing in the summertime on July 9, 2007; July 12, 2009; June 6, 2010; and Sept. 2, 2010. [13][15][16], He was found guilty of nine counts of second-degree murder in 1994, and sentenced to 203 years up to life in prison. After leading authorities on a car chase, he crashed into a pole. The Police were rarely able to identify the victims, much less the perpetrator of the crimes. Berkowitz said the 1,675-square-feet home at 1492 Garden St. was sold to a family whose identity has not been disclosed. This fact is interesting because it makes Joel Rifkin the only known truly Jewish serial killer outside of Harvey Glatman who murdered four women in the 50s. He has demonstrated social skills. On March 5, 1989, Balch's severed head was discovered on the seventh hole of the golf course. His parents were described as kind, loving people by those who knew them they even once forbade their kids to have toy guns. Rifkin and Balch returned to his childhood home, where they stayed for the night but Rifkin soon took out his rage on Balch, . Sound familiar, fellow geeks? For Joel Rifkin's bullies, it apparently wasn't enough that he was made to feel like a social pariah for joining clubs despite his outcast status. He is the one who laughs when a cat gets run over or a kid falls off his bike. During his sentencing, they watched, teary-eyed, as he apologized to the victims families, Hes not evil. Serial killer Joel Rifkin was timely for Seinfeld's episode because he had been apprehended the same year but, ironically, most people today have no idea who he is compared to the notoriety of O.J.The Joel Rifkin reference certainly grounds Seinfeld's episode in its own time, but it's the idea that O.J. If left non-supported, the . I love him [] itll probably be distorted I cant trust anyone, she said when Peyser questioned her as she left her home, according to Maria Eftimiades 1993 book, Garden of Graves: The Shocking True Story Of The Long Island Serial Killer Joel Rifkin.. Young Rifkin had a difficult time trying to fit with his peers and was often the target of school bullying. Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads, Name: Joel Rifkin, Birth Year: 1959, Birth date: January 20, 1959, Birth State: New York, Birth City: New York, Birth Country: United States. apparently my dad knew Joel Rifkin in high school, said he seemed pretty normal. He received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from UCLA and NYU, respectively. He is believed to have killed up to seventeen victims between 1989 and 1993 in New York City and on Long Island, New York. His reign of terror came to an end in June 1993, when Rifkin was pulled over by the police who discovered a corpse in his car. But no matter how you look at it, it isnt uncommon for serial killers to have a troubled childhood, and that was the case in more ways than one for JoelRifkin. Lawyer Robert Sale and Joel Rifkin, who was sentenced to more than 200 years in his four-year killing spree. If you or anyone you know is having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Let's check, How Rich is Joel Rifkin in 2019-2020? Joel Rifkin was an unemployed New York landscaper living a dark double life as a prolific serial killer claiming the lives of 17 women, a staggering total. Jan and Jeanne regularly showed up for Joel during the trial, though, as New York magazine noted in its August 1993 issue. New York couple Bernard and Jeanne Rifkin adopted Joel three weeks after his birth, on February 14, 1959. Remains found on May 9, 1993, in Northampton, Suffolk County, New York. In 1994, he was sentenced to 203 years in prison for the murders of nine women . Frustrated with athletics, Rifkin joined the yearbook staff. The film, titled The Joel Rifkin Story: The Life and Crimes of a Serial Killer, was directed by Michael McGrath and produced by Joseph Berlinger. "In the case of Rifkin who, as a serial strangler, employed a uniquely violent way to kill he actually doesn't understand why he does what he does," the CNN anchor wrote in an op-ed, later noting the terrifying implications of this lack of self-awareness. What happened to the two women after the trial is unclear, as they receded from public view. Childhood And Early Life American serial killer Joel David Rifkin was born on the 20 January 1959. He was an adopted child with diagnosed dyslexia, a low IQ, and an awkward nature. Thirdly, Rifkin experienced a rough childhood marked by bullying from other boys . Disturbing Details Found In John Belushi's Autopsy Report, Why Some People Are Convinced Amelia Earhart Survived Her Plane Crash, Here's What The Bible Really Says About Evolution, The Tragic Truth Behind The Andes Plane Crash, Why The Beatles Wouldn't Have Existed Without Buddy Holly's Band, The Truth About Rodney Alcala's Time In The Military, What Really Happened With The Intruder In Queen Elizabeth's Bedroom, Our understanding of radioactivity has come a long way. He is believed to have killed up to 17 victims between 1989-93 in New York City and in Long Island, New York. Instead of treating him like a potential asset to the team, his track teammates dunked his head in the toilet bowl, hid his clothes, and called him a "lard a**." You want to eliminate witnesses, or theres a fight, or you want to eliminate the person for some reason, such as a husband kills a wife or vice versa. Rifkin is now serving 203 years in the Clinton Correctional Facility. Others are victims of traumatic abuse from parents, guardians, and/or peers while growing up. Biography. He was sentenced in May 1994 to 203 years to life in prison. Otherwise, the two more or less vanished from view. The remains of as many as 10 people have been found. Mini Bio (1) Joel Grey's father, Mickey Katz, created "Borscht Capades" in the early 1950s. She was a religious woman who attended church regularly and taught her children the importance of family and faith. Remains found on September 23, 1991, in the East River off Randalls Island. The bullying would unfortunately ramp up when Rifkin entered high school, where he was given the derisive nickname "Turtle" for his slow gait and posture. Homicide detectives began interrogating Rifkin on June 28, 1993. Multiple prospective buyers backed away from the home after learning of its disturbing history, but one couple snagged it in 2011 for. Joel David Rifkin (born January 20, 1959) is an American serial killer who was sentenced to 203 years in prison for the murders of nine women between 1989 and 1993. [3], Rifkin performed poorly in school due to learning disabilities, and was unpopular with classmates due to his poor social skills. ; there is no mention of her notorious son and his brutal killings in her home. I will go to my grave carrying the deaths of these innocent women with me, he said. On May 9, 1994, Rifkin was sentenced to 25 years to life for murder, as well as reckless endangerment for leading police on a car chase. Between 1989 and 1993, Rifkin kidnapped and murdered 17 women in and around New York and New Jersey. Gary Ridgway, the most wanted American serial killer, had an IQ of 82. The disorganized killer is easy to catch. Shortly before graduating from high school in 1977, Ben and Jeanne Rifkin gave their son Joel his first car, and while it would be more than a decade before he would act on his twisted fantasies, he wasted little time using the vehicle to cruise around for sex workers during his free time. All I can say is I love my brother. An odor in Rifkin's truck led to the discovery of a body. He has to be persuasive enough and rational enough that he is able to convince these women to meet him on these terms. He is eligible for parole in 2197, at the age of 238. He is financially secure, has a job and owns an expensive car or truck. Fred Klein, the former Nassau County assistant district attorney who prosecuted Mr. Rifkin, said that Mr. Rifkin was driven to kill not out of anger or revenge, but out of pleasure. His parents were unwed college students who gave him up for adoption shortly after his birth on January 20, 1959. Rifkin was born in 1959 and grew up on Long Island. The fantasy he had about strangulation of prostitutes turned into a real-life murder spree in the early 1990s. Were Rifkin's murderous impulses created by childhood fantasy loops driven by alienation, or was he born with a murderous mind? She was described as being crestfallen and in shock by the outlet. It was a psychosexual sadism, said Mr. Klein, now an assistant professor at Hofstra Law School. Home. Remains found on May 25, 1992, in Patterson, New York. Although Rifkin and his mother have asserted that there was no abuse in his childhood, there were still some signs of trouble. Rifkin an inmate at the Clinton Correctional Facility in New York. Njegova bioloka stara sta ga 14. februarja 1959, ko je bil star tri tedne, dala v posvojitev. Your email address will not be published. Mr. Shulman died of natural causes in 2006 while serving life without parole. Inspired by what he had just viewed, he began fantasizing about strangling sex workers, and these fantasies would soon involve thoughts of bondage, rape, and a "gladiator type thing with two girls that would fight to the death," as Rifkin later admitted to his biographer Robert Mladinich. As with other serial killers, the disturbing truth is that we will likely never know for certain why Rifkin is the way he is. peoplepill id: joel-rifkin. Joel Rifkin, from East Meadow, N.Y., in 1996. He may have sought treatment at a hospital for poison ivy infection.