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.

Serial Killer Gave Victim False Promises

Robinson's first known victim was 19-year-old Paula Godfrey, whom he hired through one of his businesses in 1984. After her disappearance, Robinson forged letters in her name, successfully convincing investigators that she had simply left voluntarily.

Other victims included Catherine Clampitt, Lisa Stasi, Sheila Faith and her teenage daughter Debbie, Izabela Lewicka, Suzette Trouten, and Beverly Bonner.

One of the most heartbreaking cases involved Lisa Stasi, a young mother Robinson met through a Kansas City hospital.

After murdering her, he gave away her infant daughter through a fraudulent adoption scheme. He lied to his own relatives claiming that the child's mother had died by suicide. He charged them thousands of dollars in fake adoption fees. And the truth was not uncovered until years later.

Serial Killer Investigation Finally Connects the Cases

Despite numerous disappearances linked to Robinson over the years, investigators struggled to connect the cases.

The breakthrough came in 2000 after several women reported Robinson for sexual assault, theft, and violent behavior. Those complaints provided authorities with sufficient probable cause to obtain search warrants.

During searches of Robinson's Kansas property, investigators discovered two chemical barrels containing the remains of Izabela Lewicka and Suzette Trouten. Additional searches of storage units in neighboring Missouri uncovered three more victims hidden inside similar barrels.

Medical examiners determined the women had died from blunt-force trauma to the head. The grisly discoveries exposed one of the Midwest's most notorious serial murder cases.

Convictions and Sentencing

Robinson stood trial in Kansas in 2002 for the murders of Lisa Stasi, Suzette Trouten, and Izabela Lewicka. After what became the longest criminal trial in Kansas history, jurors convicted him on all counts.

He later pleaded guilty in Missouri to the murders of Paula Godfrey, Catherine Clampitt, Beverly Bonner, Sheila Faith, and Debbie Faith, receiving multiple life sentences in addition to his Kansas death sentence.

Although some convictions were later modified on legal technicalities, Robinson remains incarcerated on death row.

Serial Killer Used Emerging Technology Before Online Safety

John Robinson's crimes highlighted how emerging technology could be exploited by predators long before online safety became a widespread public concern.

His ability to manipulate victims through chat rooms, false identities, employment offers, and forged correspondence demonstrated how digital anonymity could facilitate violent crime.

Law enforcement agencies frequently cite Robinson's case as an early example of the dangers posed by online predators and the importance of digital evidence in homicide investigations.

Relevant Links

• FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin
• Kansas Supreme Court Decision in State v. Robinson
• ABC News: The Truth About John Robinson
• Biography: John Robinson Case Overview