Newlyweds Plead Guilty To Craigslist Killing

By Sky News US Team
A newly-married couple have admitted the second-degree murder of a Pennsylvania man after luring him to his death using Craigslist.

Miranda Barbour, 19, and Elytte Barbour, 22, lured their victim with an online advert offering companionship for cash because they “wanted to kill someone together”.

They had previously denied first-degree murder but have now admitted second-degree murder at a court hearing in Pennsylvania.

Their admission of the lesser charge has spared them the death penalty. Instead, they face mandatory life sentences without parole.

The young couple had been married just three weeks when they met up with their 42-year-old victim Troy LaFerrara on November 11 last year.

Elytte Barbour told police he hid under a blanket in the back seat of the couple's SUV as his wife collected Mr LaFerrara from a shopping centre. Elytte Barbour strangled the victim as his wife stabbed him

Miranda Barbour drove him to the small city of Sunbury, northwest of Philadelphia.

Elytte Barbour told police that, on his wife's signal, he wrapped a cord around Mr LaFerrara's neck, restraining him, while she stabbed him 20 times.

They then dumped his body in an alleyway. Miranda Barbour initially denied she knew Mr LaFerrara.

But she changed her story after it was discovered that the last telephone call received by the victim was made from her number. Miranda Barbour's claims that she killed 22 other people were discredited

Elytte Barbour admitted his part after police found surveillance footage showing him getting out of the car on the night of the killing to buy cleaning supplies.

He told police they had wanted to “kill someone together,” and had planned to kill before – but it had never worked out.

“LaFerrara was just the one with whom it worked,” he reportedly told police.

Miranda Barbour gained further notoriety in April after she claimed to have killed at least 22 other people.

She claimed the killings took place in Alaska, Texas, North Carolina and California over a period of six years, as part of her involvement in a satanic cult.

However police were unable to substantiate her claims. The couple are due to be sentenced on September 18 at Northumberland County Court.