Suspect in Missouri Craigslist killing shot teen at lunch, returned to work

[HighwayStar]

Suspect in Missouri Craigslist killing shot teen at lunch, returned to work: police

Date May 8, 2015 - 2:14AM
Abby Phillip
The Washington Post

The body of Taylor Clark, an Illinois college student who went missing while trying to sell his sports car on Craigslist, was found on Tuesday night not far from where his abandoned 2007 Nissan 350ZX was found, according to St Louis police. Photo: AP

Police in Missouri have arrested and charged 24-year old Michael Gordon with the murder of 19-year old Taylor Clark, another apparent slaying connected to a Craigslist transaction.

Clark, a college student at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, a St. Louis suburb, was attempting to sell his red 2007 Nissan on Craigslist and had arranged to meet Gordon on Monday to test drive the car, police said.

Michael Gordon, 24, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Taylor Clark, who went missing while trying to sell his sports car on Craigslist. Photo: AP

They agreed to meet around lunchtime on Monday in the parking lot of the MTC Truck Driver Training school in Hazelwood, Missouri, where Gordon worked. That night, Clark's family reported him missing. The following day, police found the vehicle still parked at the school, and shortly after found Clark's body hidden in the nearby woods. He had been shot one time.

Gordon, police said, returned to work after attempting to hide the body.

At a news conference on Wednesday, police said they arrested Gordon on Tuesday when they found his name in Clark's emails about the Craigslist transaction.

Florissant Police Department Captain Tim Fagan, who is also Deputy Commander of the Major Case Squad of Greater St Louis, declined to discuss a motive in the case.

He did echo law enforcement officials across the country who have been urging people to exercise caution with Craigslist transactions.

"People should always be concerned about anything that they do. Especially if it's online. You never know who it is that you're contacting, and so precautions are always advisable," said Fagan, according to KSDK. "We know he was, by all accounts, a very good young man, quality person. Was a college student, and unfortunately fell victim to a tragic event."

Recently several violent incidents have been connected to Craigslist meetings.

In January, a man was charged with killing an elderly Florida couple who were attempting to purchase a car on Craigslist. And a pregnant woman was stabbed and her baby taken from her womb by a woman who arranged a meeting on Craigslist to buy baby clothes. The woman survived, but the baby died.

Some jurisdictions have set up safe havens for Craigslist transactions, which can be magnets for criminal activity.

According to the St Louis Post-Dispatch, Gordon was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Police are still looking for Gordon's vehicle, a red 1990 BMW 325i with Missouri license plate FL3Z9K.