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Over the years, Benjamin and Erika Sifrit have gained the reputation of the notorious "Thrill Kill Couple," having brutally murdered a vacationing Virginia couple, Josh Ford and Geney Crutchley, in the resort town of Ocean City in Maryland. The crime that occurred nearly two decades ago still haunts the memories of Ocean City police officers who failed to find a motive behind the slayings.
The couple that, authorities claimed, committed crimes just for thrill, were not always the same vile murderers who showed no remorse for gunning down 32-year-old Josh, killing 51-year-old Geney, and later dismebering their bodies to remove all traces of the victims. But a silly obsession soon led to their arrest.
Although the wannabe modern-day Bonnie and Clyde are serving time in jail, they have left authorities with a string of mysteries that remain unknown to date. Now that People Magazine Investigates aims to follow-up on the infamous 2002 Memorial Day murder case, many look forward to getting answers to deep-rooted questions and doubts. The episode airs on ID on August 22, 2022 at 9 pm ET.
Read more to learn about "Thrill Kill Couple," Benjamin and Erika Sifrit, ahead of the episode premiere.
Trigger warning: This article contains information about graphic violence.
Exploring the former lives of Benjamin and Erika Sifrit
Erika Sifrit, formerly known as Grace, was born in 1978 and raised in a rich family close to Altoona, Pennsylvania. A dedicated scrapbooker and star hooper, she was on the varsity team in freshman year as an experienced player. The former coach reportedly stated that she was a truly outstanding basketball player who graduated with a history degree in 2001.
According to sources, Benjamin Sifrit was brought up in Houston and the Midwest. He was a competitive swimmer and a lifeguard while in high school. After earning his degree in 1996, he enlisted in the Navy and began training for SEAL. He was consistently ranked first in his class and was recurrently recognized as one of the most agile and powerful participants in the program.
The two met in a bar one evening during Erika's senior year and started dating. Ben impulsively proposed to Erika after only a few weeks of dating in a daring act and the pair ended up getting married. Their lives started spiraling down. Benjamin faced some issues with the Navy not long after the wedding, leading to his dishonorable discharge, which forced them to return to Altoona.
Benjamin and Erika Sifrit were small-time thieves before becoming the "Thrill Kill Couple"
Benjamin and Erika Sifrit hit rock bottom in 2002 when they were caught in the murder case of vacationers Josh Ford and Geney Crutchley, a couple from Fairfax, Virginia, in Ocean Town. They murdered the Virginia couple in what seemed like a scripted plot directly out of the movies - a coincidental encounter, a wild night of partying, a tricky allegation, and a murder in their penthouse bathroom.
Authorities say that after the first double homicide and dismembering was dealt with, Benjamin and Erika Sifrit tried the same move with another couple, Melissa Seling and Justin Todd Wright.
Ocean City Police Lt. Richard Moreck reportedly stated:
"After the cleanup was complete, they had another couple that they brought up to the condominium and played the same type of scenario with that couple."
Fortunately, the two were able to make a narrow escape and The Sifrits may have allowed them to do so because they simply ran out of time and had to return home. It is also possible that the couple made an early escape before things got completely out of hand.
The perpetrator's habit of scrapbooking their crimes and obsession with Hooters memorabilia led to Benjamin and Erika Sifrit's ultimate arrest days after they murdered Josh and Geney. They were caught red-handed looting a Hooters store before getting out of town. Police found compromising evidence in Erika's handbag that helped them in solving one of the most gruesome cases ever seen.
Investigative journalist and true-crime author M. William Phelps reportedly said,
"To scrapbook a murder is one thing. But she wants these victims of murder to be part of her. She wears a necklace with one of the rings from the victims, it's still got blood on it."
He added,
"The knife she used to dismember these people is tucked in her pocket. It still has flesh and blood on it. It was one of the most horrific crimes I've ever seen and I've seen everything."
Benjamin and Erika Sifrit were found guilty in the 2002 double homicide case and are now serving prison time. Ben is currently being held at Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown, while Erika is incarcerated at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women in Jessup.
The story of "Thrill Kill Couple" Benjamin and Erika Sifrit, and the double murder they committed two decades ago, will be the subject of People Magazine Investigates' upcoming episode this Monday, at 9 pm ET.
