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Craigslist murders: A timeline

Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 2:04 p.m.

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) Winter, 1995: Craig Newmark spreads the seeds of what would grow to become Craigslist by emailing his friends about events in the Bay Area. 1/30

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) Word spread quickly. During the ensuing months, droves of new members subscribe and begin posting their own ads. Newmark makes no attempt to moderate and lets it grow organically. 2/30

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) Winter, 1996: Craigslist comes to resemble more of a digital classified selection than a mere email. 3/30

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) Spring, 1999: Newmark incorporates the site, making it a for-profit outfit, but nonetheless sticking with the dot-org domain name to reflect its self-described noncommercial nature. 4/30

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) Mid-00's: Craigslist.org starts experiencing exponential growth, and Newmark hires CEO Jim Buckmaster (pictured). 5/30

Courtesy of the Jou Family June 23, 2007: After telling her mother, Nili, that she was heading to a party in Los Angeles, Rancho Santa Margarita 19-year-old Donna Jou hops on a motorcycle with a man police believe was John Steven Burgess, a convicted sex offender. Donnas family never sees her again. Jou and Burgess reportedly met on Craigslist when Jou, a San Diego State student, posted an advertisement for her services as a math tutor. 6/30

photo courtesy of the Olson Family October 7, 2007: Recent St. Olaf grad Katherine Olson is looking for work. 7/30

photo courtesy of the Olson Family October 2007: Olson looks for nanny jobs on Craigslist and emails with a mother called "Amy", who books her for a babysitting job the next week. 8/30

photo courtesy of the Olson Family October 25, 2007: Olson shows up to Amy's house, only to be greeted by a revolver-wielding young man named Michael Anderson, who shoots and kills her. 9/30

photo by Nick Vlcek October 2007: Before a throng of cameras, the Olson family stands shoulder to shoulder in front of their home to address the media... 10/30

photo by Nick Vlcek ... says Nancy: We know where Katherine is, so we are not afraid for Katherine. We will miss her terribly. She was a bright light and free spirit. 11/30

photo by Nick Vlcek October 2007: Olson's father Rolf, a pastor, receives a letter from Newmark: Please contact me if you want to talk further. Heres my email, heres my phone number, Im available anytime. 12/30

photo courtesy of the Olson Family October 31, 2007: Katherine is remembered at Edina Christ Presbyterian Church with 3,000 friends, family and classmates of Katherine, along with the police officers who investigated the case. 13/30

photo by Nick Vlcek November 2007: Rolf Olson emails with Newmark, and after several weeks it is decided the family and website will pair up to throw a Concert For Katherine. 14/30

photo by Nick Vlcek Moments before going on the Today Show, Katherine's sister Sarah calls Newmark to ask if it's OK to announce it on the show: They didnt hesitate, she says. They were up front right away to say, Nope. This is important to us. This is an important statement." 15/30

courtesy of Connecticut Attorney General's Office November 2007: An irate letter from a concerned mother sends Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal on a quest to stop the 'Erotic' section of Craigslist. 16/30

Courtesy of the Jou Family March 17, 2009: In connection with the disappearance of Rancho Santa Margaritas Donna Jou in 2007, John Steven Burgess is charged in Los Angeles with involuntary manslaughter, concealing an accidental death, and two counts of selling or transporting a concealed substance. According to the Los Angeles Times, police say Burgess told them that he dumped Jous body off the California coastline after she overdosed on heroin and cocaine. Jou and Burgess reportedly met on Craigslist. 17/30

February 2009: A Dallas man was found guilty of capital murder for killing a 21-year-old woman who responded to his Craigslist ad for a 1995 Chevrolet Caprice. 18/30

March 2009: New York City police discover the body of WABC radio newsman George Weber--hed been stabbed to death by a 16-year-old knife fetishist hed solicited via Craigslist. 19/30

April 2009: Boston University medical student Philip Markoff is arrested and accused of murdering a prostitute he solicited through Craigslist. 20/30

April 2009: Authorities arrest a man in Kent, Washington, after he allegedly posts a Craigslist ad titled, A strange desire, with the intent to solicit a woman to have sex with and then kill. 21/30

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) April 24: Newmark appears on Nightline, literally cornered at his desk by interviewer Martin Bashir. 22/30

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) April 2009: Buckmasters interview on CNN that same week is more cordial and nuanced, but he is nonetheless on the defensive. 23/30

courtesy of Cook County Sheriff's Department March 2009: Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart files a federal lawsuit against Craigslist, accusing it of facilitating prostitution. 24/30

Gene X. Hwang (of Orange Photography) May 3, 2009: Newmark will be speaking in public, at a memorial concert in Katherine Olsons honor, fulfilling a promise he made to her family. 25/30

photo by Nick Vlcek May 2009: The Olsons hope the lurid events in Boston don't eclipse their daughters' memorial. Says Nancy, "This is our celebration. We dont want evil to have the last word." 26/30

photo courtesy of the Olson Family For more information on the concert, click here. Click here for the in-depth story. 27/30

NICK VLCEK May 3, 2009: Rolf Olson and Newmark finally see their work on the concert come to fruition. 28/30

NICK VLCEK May 3, 2009: Newmark makes a heartfelt speech at the concert. 29/30

NICK VLCEK It's been devastating to see that (Craigslist) can be used by bad people to take cruel advantage of others and bring a senseless end to a beautiful young life," Newmark said. "The most recent crime in Boston has been a grim reminder of that. 30/30

Craigslist murders: A timeline

From Craigslist's inception in 1995 to St. Olaf student Katherine Olson's death to the recent slayings that has the web site under fire, we take a look at the events that have led up to the Concert For Katherine memorial taking place this weekend in Minneapolis. Click here for the in-depth story.

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