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The story of Serial Killer John Edward Robinson remains one of the most disturbing criminal cases of the internet age. Long before social media became commonplace, Robinson exploited early online chat rooms to identify vulnerable women, gain their trust, and lure them into dangerous situations.

Investigators believe he murdered at least eight women between 1984 and 2000, although it is suspected the true number of victims may be higher.

Robinson's case earned him the grim nickname of the "Internet's First Serial Killer" because he was among the earliest known murderers to use the internet as a hunting ground for victims.

Today, Robinson remains on death row at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in Kansas after receiving multiple life sentences and a death sentence for several of the murders. His crimes shocked investigators because they combined fraud, manipulation, sexual exploitation, and calculated violence over nearly two decades.

Serial Killer had a Lifetime of Deception

Born on Dec. 27, 1943, in Cicero, Illinois, Robinson appeared to live an ordinary suburban life. Married with four children, he worked various business ventures while secretly operating numerous financial scams.

Long before it was discovered that he was a murderer, Robinson had established himself as an experienced con artist. He repeatedly defrauded employers, investors, and acquaintances, serving prison time for fraud during the late 1980s.

Following his release on parole, he embraced emerging internet technology, recognizing that online chat rooms gave him access to potential victims from across the country.

Robinson the "Slavemaster"

Robinson typically targeted women who were financially vulnerable, seeking employment, or looking for companionship. He often posed as a wealthy businessman capable of providing lucrative jobs, financial security, travel opportunities, or participation in consensual BDSM relationships.

Using multiple online aliases—including one known as "Slavemaster"—he spent countless hours in adult chat rooms building trust with women.

With this method he persuaded several victims to sign so-called "slave contracts," convincing them they would enter consensual dominant-submissive relationships. Once the women relocated to meet him, investigators say Robinson murdered them, usually by striking them in the head with a blunt object.

Cover-Ups and Hidden Corpses

He frequently attempted to cover up his crimes by forging letters, sending emails, or creating fake correspondence to convince family members that victims had voluntarily disappeared.

Several bodies were found inside industrial chemical barrels stored on his rural property. And others were discovered in rented storage units.