Admitted Killer Guilty in First of 17 Slayings
A man who admitted killing 17 women was convicted of second-degree murder Monday in the first of the slayings to come to trial. Jurors deliberated only about two hours before rejecting an insanity defense.
Joel Rifkin, a 34-year-old landscaper, was convicted of killing Tiffany Bresciani, whose decomposing body was found in his pickup truck in June. He also was convicted of reckless endangerment for leading police on a high-speed chase the day of his arrest.
Rifkin faces a maximum sentence of 25 years to life on the murder conviction.
He has been indicted for some of the other killings and is scheduled to stand trial next month in Long Island’s neighboring Suffolk County on two additional murder charges.
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