Craigslist Ad Murder: Dad Says Teen Was Manipulated - Cleveland News - Fox 8

STOW, Ohio—

The father of a local teen charged in a southern Ohio murder scheme involving a Craigslist ad said his son was manipulated.

He also explains the relationship between his son and a man who is also behind bars.

Brogan Rafferty, 16, of Stow, is charged with attempted murder and complicity to attempted murder.

Richard Beasley, 52, of Akron, has not yet been charged in connection with the bizarre murder plot.

"I can't believe this has happened. It's like somebody just dropped a bomb on my life," said the teen's father, Michael Rafferty.

He said his son is known as a good kid.

"About how mild-mannered he was and how polite and how much of a gentleman," he said.

But investigators in southern Ohio's Noble County arrested the Stow-Munroe Falls High School junior on Wednesday, along with Beasley.

Investigators said two men were lured to a farm by a Craigslist ad offering a job taking care of cattle.

They believe robbery was the motive.

One man from South Carolina was shot Nov. 6, but escaped.

The body of a man from Florida was found buried in a shallow grave. His brother tells Fox 8 he had spoken to Beasley about the job.

"He said he had several siblings and that the siblings were the ones who owned the farm and they still camped there and did this, that there, but they weren't able to take care of the farm," said the brother in a telephone interview.

"He probably lied to Brogan and told him he was going down there for one thing and then once he popped a cap in that guy or something, he probably scared the hell out of him," said Rafferty.

Rafferty said his family has known and trusted Beasley for more than 20 years.

Brogan's parents said Beasley became a mentor to Brogan, often taking him to church and on outings to feed the homeless.

"As Brogan got, like, to be a teenager, not so often, but him and Rich had a friendship," said Rafferty.

Earlier this year, after Beasley was charged with running a prostitution ring, Mi! chael sa id he told Brogan to stay away from him. But he said Brogan and Beasley secretly stayed in touch.

"This man corrupted my son this way, and I really would like to think that he doesn't have this in him, that he was just in a bad spot and fooled by this guy and something happened and he was in over his head and just didn't feel he could turn back."

Michael Rafferty said Brogan told him and his ex-wife that Beasley threatened to kill all of them, if Brogan went to police.

Brogan is being held in a juvenile detention center in Muskingum County.

At last check, Beasley was being held at the Summit County jail.

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