John Edward Robinson is often called the first serial killer of the digital age: He was the first serial murderer on record to have used internet chatrooms to lure his victims to their deaths.
His early years were a collage of petty crimes. He embezzled money from the clinic where he worked as an x-ray technician (a clinic he only got a job in because he forged his certification and papers).
When that fell apart, he started multiple fictional businesses, spending time in jail and on probation after each one failed.
At the same time, he began ingratiating himself with the local community, notably as a Sunday-school teacher and a Scoutmaster.
But his image as a pious man interested in doing his civic duty crumbled after he propositioned several married neighbourhood women and began to discuss his enthusiasm for a sadomasochistic cult where, he said, he served as the “Slavemaster.”
That was when women began to disappear.
John will be performing at this year’s Edinburgh Festival at Pleasance Attic August 12- 28th (Not 22nd).
