Sign-In
Cart
Serial Killer Autopsy: Joel Rifkin
Paperback
Series: Serial Killer Autopsy, Book 28
Publisher: J.F. Publishing
Published: Nov 29 2025
Pages: 192
Weight: 0.50
Height: 0.41 Width: 5.50 Depth: 8.50
Language: English
Serial Killer Autopsy: Joel Rifkin
A chilling examination of one of New York's most prolific serial killers, a man who hid in plain sight while murdering at least nine women, possibly seventeen, over four years of terror.
Between 1989 and 1993, Joel Rifkin prowled the streets of New York City, targeting the most vulnerable among us, sex workers struggling with addiction, women society had already forgotten. He strangled them with his bare hands, disposed of their bodies like garbage, and returned to his ordinary life in suburban Long Island as if nothing had happened. For four years, he killed without being caught, without even being suspected. Then, on a summer night in 1993, a missing license plate led to a traffic stop that would expose one of the most disturbing serial murder cases in American history.
Serial Killer Autopsy: Joel Rifkin conducts a methodical, unflinching examination of how an awkward, socially isolated man became a serial predator. From his troubled childhood as an adopted child who never fit in, through years of relentless bullying and social rejection, to his evolution into a killer who found purpose only in murder, this book dissects every aspect of Joel Rifkin's life and crimes.
But this is not just Joel's story. This is the story of the women whose lives he stole, Barbara Jacobs, Yun Lee, Mary Catherine Williams, Lorraine Orvieto, Mary Ann Holloman, Iris Sanchez, Anna Lopez, Jenny Soto, and Tiffany Bresciani. Women who had names, families, and dreams before they encountered a predator who saw them only as objects. This book restores their humanity and honors their memory by telling their stories with dignity and respect.
Drawing on trial transcripts, police reports, psychiatric evaluations, interviews with investigators, and extensive research, this book provides the most comprehensive examination of the Joel Rifkin case ever published. It explores not just what happened, but why, examining the intersection of nature and nurture, the psychology of sexual violence, the sociology of victimization, and the systemic failures that allowed a serial killer to operate with impunity.
This is true crime that refuses to sensationalize. While unflinching in its examination of Joel's crimes, this book treats his victims with the dignity they deserved in life and were denied in death. It critically examines how society's devaluation of sex workers created ideal conditions for predation and asks uncomfortable questions about whose lives we value and whose disappearances we investigate.
Serial Killer Autopsy: Joel Rifkin is essential reading for true crime enthusiasts, students of criminal psychology, law enforcement professionals, and anyone seeking to understand how serial killers develop, operate, and are ultimately caught. More than just a chronicle of crimes, it is a meditation on evil, responsibility, justice, and the ongoing challenge of protecting society's most vulnerable members from those who would prey upon them.
Also in
True Crime
Dawn of the Code War: America's Battle Against Russia, China, and the Rising Global Cyber Threat
Carlin, John P.
Graff, Garrett M.
Paperback
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth
Keefe, Patrick Radden
Hardcover
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America
Larson, Erik
Paperback
Catch the Devil: A True Story of Murder, Deception, and Injustice on the Gulf Coast
Colloff, Pamela
Hardcover
The Killer and Frank Lloyd Wright: The True Story of Mass Murder in Paradise
Sherman, Casey
Hardcover
Blizzard of Lies: Karen Read, John O'Keefe, and the Shocking Unsolved Murder in Cop Town, USA
Wedge, Dave
Hardcover
The Best Kind of American: A True Story of Murder, War, and America's Undoing in the Middle East
Ghattas, Kim
Hardcover
The Yahoo Boys: Love, Deception, and the Real Lives of Nigeria's Romance Scammers
Barragán, Carlos
Hardcover
The Havana Syndrome: Secret Weapons, a Government Cover-Up, and the Greatest Spy Mystery of Our Time
Rey, Michael
Zill de Granados, Oriana
Hardcover
Face to Face with Whitey Bulger: An FBI Agent's Account of Capturing and Debriefing Boston's Most Notorious Gangster
Ward, Bob
Teahan, Rich
Paperback
The Vampire's Cult: The Untold Story of Obsession, Control, and a Shocking Small-Town Murder
Hardin, Chet
Paperback
London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family's Search for Truth (Large Print Edition)
Keefe, Patrick Radden
Paperback
The Typewriter and the Guillotine: An American Journalist, a German Serial Killer, and Paris on the Eve of WWII
Braude, Mark
Hardcover
Confessions of the Green River Killer: A True Story of Manipulation, Madness, and a Search for Justice
Dilorenzo, Maria
Hardcover
The Ego Trip: Psychedelic Toads, a Trail of Deaths, and the Guru Who Peddled Transcendence
de Greef, Kimon
Hardcover
The Veiled Prophet: Secret Societies, White Supremacy, and the Struggle for St. Louis
O'Shea, Devin Thomas
Hardcover
If You Tell: A True Story of Murder, Family Secrets, and the Unbreakable Bond of Sisterhood
Olsen, Gregg
Paperback
White Elephant Gifts for Adult: 500 Serial Killers Encyclopedia Facts and Figures
Murdle, K.
Paperback
Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution
Grandjean, Katherine
Hardcover
Fires in the Night: The Earth Liberation Front, the Fbi, and a Secret History of Eco-Sabotage
Wolfe, Matthew
Hardcover
The Man Who Stole the Gods: A True Story of War, Obsession, and a Global Art Conspiracy
Campbell, Matthew
Hardcover
Brain Games - Criminal Mind Puzzles: Crime-Themed Brain Teasers Visual, Verbal, Memory & Logic Puzzles Spiral Bound Activity Book for Adults & Teens
Publications International Ltd
Brain Games
Paperback
Within the House of Murdaugh: Amid a Unique Friendship, Blanca and Maggie
Weaver, Mary Frances
Turrubiate-Simpson, Blanca
Paperback
Eleven Days: The Fascinating True Account of Agatha Christie's Mysterious Disappearance
Thompson, Laura
Hardcover
Plastic Inc.: The Secret History and Shocking Future of Big Oil's Biggest Bet
Gardiner, Beth
Hardcover
American Reich: A Murder in Orange County, Neo-Nazis, and a New Age of Hate
Lichtblau, Eric
Hardcover
Captain's Dinner: A Shipwreck, an Act of Cannibalism, and a Murder Trial That Changed Legal History
Cohen, Adam
Hardcover
Clinton Bush and CIA Conspiracies: From The Boys on the Tracks to Jeffrey Epstein
Attwood, Shaun
Paperback
One Nation Under Blackmail - Vol. 1: The Sordid Union Between Intelligence and Crime That Gave Rise to Jeffrey Epstein, Vol.1
Webb, Whitney Alyse
Paperback
The Death of Trotsky: The True Story of the Plot to Kill Stalin's Greatest Enemy
Ireland, Josh
Hardcover
Thirteen Perfect Fugitives: The True Story of the Mob, Murder, and the World's Largest Art Heist
Kelly, Geoffrey
Hardcover
50 True Stories That Will Scare You to Death: True Crime, Hauntings, Aliens, and More
Krahl, Sebastian
Paperback
Don't Talk about Joe Mac: The Life, Wars, and Secret History of the Man Behind the Winter Hill Gang
Toledo, Springs
Hardcover
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer
McNamara, Michelle
Paperback
The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and the Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther
Haas, Jeffrey
Paperback
Catch the Devil: A True Story of Murder, Deception, and Injustice on the Gulf Coast (Large Print Edition)
Colloff, Pamela
Paperback
The Snakehead: An Epic Tale of the Chinatown Underworld and the American Dream
Keefe, Patrick Radden
Paperback
How to Survive a Murder Investigation: A True Story of Death and Danger in the Ozarks
Townsend, Catherine
Hardcover
Chasing Evil: Shocking Crimes, Supernatural Forces, and an FBI Agent's Search for Hope and Justice
Hilland, Robert
Edward, John
Hardcover
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century
Johnson, Kirk Wallace
Paperback
Trail of the Lost: The Relentless Search to Bring Home the Missing Hikers of the Pacific Crest Trail
Lankford, Andrea
Paperback
Compton Street Legend: Notorious Keffe D's Street-Level Accounts of Tupac and Biggie Murders, Death Row Origins, Suge Knight, Puffy Combs, and Crooked
Davis, Duane 'keffe D'
Jah, Yusuf
Paperback
Dog's Day: The True Story of a Bank Robbery, Gay Liberation, and Toxic Love That Inspired a Hollywood Classic
Prigge, Matthew J.
Hardcover
The Murder of the Century: The Gilded Age Crime That Scandalized a City and Sparked the Tabloid Wars
Collins, Paul
Paperback
The Doctors' Riot of 1788: Body Snatching, Bloodletting, and Anatomy in America
McPhee, Andy
Hardcover
Weird Scenes Inside the Canyon: Laurel Canyon, Covert Ops & the Dark Heart of the Hippie Dream
McGowan, David
Paperback
College Girl, Missing: The True Story of How a Young Woman Disappeared in Plain Sight
Cohen, Shawn
Paperback
The Pain Brokers: How Con Men, Call Centers, and Rogue Doctors Fuel America's Lawsuit Factory
Chamblee Burch, Elizabeth
Hardcover
The Secrets of the Séance Society: Illustrated True Stories of Talking to the Dead
Perrin, Lisa
Hardcover
The Assassination of Leon Trotsky: Espionage, Scandal, and the Crime of the Century
Melton, H. Keith
West, Nigel
Hardcover
Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, a Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor
Harmon, Mark
Paperback
Lucky Devils: The True Story of Three Rebel Gamblers Who Beat the Odds and Changed the Game
Chellel, Kit
Hardcover
Starvation Heights: A True Story of Murder and Malice in the Woods of the Pacific Northwest
Olsen, Gregg
Paperback
Confessions of the Green River Killer: A True Story of Manipulation, Madness, and a Search for Justice
Dilorenzo, Maria
Paperback
American Predator: The Hunt for the Most Meticulous Serial Killer of the 21st Century
Callahan, Maureen
Paperback
Starstruck: A Journalist's Pursuit of a Fugitive Pop Star, Her Diabolical Maestro, and Their Teenage Sex Cult
McDougall, Christopher
Paperback
El Invencible Verano de Liliana / Liliana's Invincible Summer (Premio Pulitzer)
Rivera Garza, Cristina
Paperback
What the Dead Know: Learning about Life as a New York City Death Investigator
Butcher, Barbara
Paperback
Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy Inside the Catholic Church
Gore, Gareth
Paperback
Dig Me a Grave: The Inside Story of the Serial Killer Who Seduced the South
Harpootlian, Richard A.
Assael, Shaun
Hardcover
Bone Valley: A True Story of Injustice and Redemption in the Heart of Florida
King, Gilbert
Hardcover
Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of the Hunt for the Nation's Most Elusive Serial Killer
Graysmith, Robert
Paperback
Who's Watching Shorty?: Reclaiming Myself from the Shame of R. Kelly's Abuse
Landfair, Reshona
Hardcover
Out of the Woods: A Girl, a Killer, and a Lifelong Struggle to Find the Way Home
Olsen, Gregg
Paperback
Warden Force: The Worst of the Worst and Other True Game Warden Adventures: Episodes 101-114
Hodges, Terry
Paperback
People Who Eat Darkness: The True Story of a Young Woman Who Vanished from the Streets of Tokyo--And the Evil That Swallowed Her Up
Parry, Richard Lloyd
Paperback
Is the Government Legally Killing Us?: Is the Evidence Obvious? How Fear of Death and the Illusion of Freedom Turn Us Into Accomplices to Evil
(Scott Schara), Grace's Dad
Paperback
Ordinary Wife: The True Story of America's Forgotten Serial Killer
Olsen, Gregg
Olsen, Morgan
Paperback
Without Consent: A Landmark Trial and the Decades-Long Struggle to Make Spousal Rape a Crime
Weinman, Sarah
Hardcover
The Jacklighter: Murder, Betrayal, and Justice in Pennsylvania's Endless Mountains
Conti, Carla
Paperback
The Serial Killer Coloring Book II: An Adult Coloring Book Full of Notorious Serial Killers
Rosewood, Jack
Paperback
The Devil at His Elbow: Alex Murdaugh and the Fall of a Southern Dynasty
Bauerlein, Valerie
Paperback
The Rembrandt Heist: The Story of a Criminal Genius, a Stolen Masterpiece, and an Enigmatic Friendship
Amore, Anthony M.
Hardcover
Riptide: Cartels, Cocaine, and an Undercover Cop's Fall from Grace: A Memoir of Temptation and Redemption
Guzman, Javier
Hardcover
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
Larson, Erik
Hardcover
The Cases That Haunt Us: From Jack the Ripper to JonBenet Ramsey, the Fbi's Legendary Mindhunter Sheds Light on the Mysteries That Won't Go Away
Olshaker, Mark
Douglas, John E.
Paperback
Swans Don't Swim in a Sewer: Solving the Cold Case of the Flint River Killer's Daughter
McCollum
Paperback
A Rainy Night in Georgia: A Lawman's Brutal Murder, a Rogue Southern Sheriff, and a Prosecutor's Quest for Justice
Morgan, J. Tom
Paperback
Warden Force: Deadly Intent and Other True Game Warden Adventures: Episodes 76 - 87
Hodges, Terry
Paperback
All That Remains: A Renowned Forensic Scientist on Death, Mortality, and Solving Crimes
Black, Sue
Paperback
The Monsters We Make: Murder, Obsession, and the Rise of Criminal Profiling
Corbett, Rachel
Hardcover
Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud: The Basis for the Documentary Everyone Is Lying to You for Money
Silverman, Jacob
McKenzie, Ben
Paperback