Chapter 1: The Early Life of Philip Markoff

Philip Markoff was born to Susan Haynes and Richard Markoff, a dentist from Syracuse, New York. He had an elder brother named Jonathan and a half-sister. Growing up in a small town in upstate New York, Philip's childhood was marked by his parents' divorce and subsequent remarriages. Despite these changes, both households provided a supportive environment, instilling values of hard work and perseverance.

Described as polite, humorous, and exceptionally intelligent, Philip pursued his studies at SUNY with the goal of becoming a physician. It was at SUNY that he met his girlfriend, Megan McAllister. The couple quickly fell in love, and Philip graduated with a degree in biology within three years, gaining admission to Boston University’s medical school shortly after.

As they moved to Boston and set a wedding date, Megan opted to pause her educational aspirations to focus on wedding preparations after not gaining admission to her desired schools. However, despite his academic success, Philip struggled financially. The burdens of student debt from his undergraduate studies, combined with significant medical school expenses, weighed heavily on him. Additionally, Philip grappled with a gambling addiction that exacerbated his financial woes.

Around 2008, Philip began exploring Craigslist, initially sending suggestive messages.

In May 2008, he sent his first message under the alias ‘[email protected]’, which included explicit photos. This marked the beginning of a series of troubling interactions on the platform.