msnbc video: Inside the Craigslist murder case
BOSTON — A former Boston University medical student accused of killing a masseuse he met through Craigslist was found dead in his jail cell on Sunday, NBC News reported.
Suffolk County Sheriff's Office told NBC News that Philip Markoff, 24, had apparently killed himself and was declared dead by emergency medical workers at about 10:15 Sunday. The body was found in the Nashua Street Jail.
In April 2009, Markoff pleaded not guilty to fatally shooting Julissa Brisman of New York and robbing a Las Vegas woman. Both occurred in Boston hotels. Both crimes happened at Boston hotels within the span of four days in April 2009. Rhode Island prosecutors also accused him of attacking a stripper during the same week.
John Salsberg, who was Markoff's lawyer, said he was shocked and saddened about his client's death. He would not comment further.
Saturday would have been Markoff's first wedding anniversary, but his nuptials were canceled after his arrest.
His trial in the Massachusetts cases was expected in March.
Markoff had met the women through advertisements for erotic services posted on Craigslist, a classified advertising Web site, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the Boston Police Department crime lab identified two blood stains taken from swabs on a handgun that was seized during a search of Markoff's apartment in Quincy, Mass. Prosecutors alleged that Markoff used the weapon to bludgeon Brisman before the victim was shot three times at close range.
Investigators also found several other items in the apartment, including four pairs of women's underwear wrapped inside of socks and hidden in a box spring.
Markoff was engaged at the time of his arrest. His fiancee, Megan McAllister, ended the relationship with Markoff after visiting him in jail, and their wedding, scheduled for Aug. 14, 2009, was subsequently canceled.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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