Violent Crimes Linked to Facebook Marketplace Transactions
The Facebook Marketplace has seen a chilling turn, as two people were murdered this year during product sales.
On January 27, a teenager from Illinois, Nedas Levakus, allegedly stabbed a 30-year-old pregnant woman, Eliza Morales, 70 times before setting her home ablaze. The attack stemmed from Levakus’ dissatisfaction with a red 1994 Ford Ranger pickup truck he had purchased from Morales’ husband through Marketplace just a week prior. He is currently awaiting trial and has not entered a plea.
A few days earlier, on January 23, 42-year-old Michael Ryan Burke, a Marine and chaplain, was fatally shot in his home in Columbia, Missouri. His last message to his mother and sister was heartbreaking: “I’m dying, I love you.”
Authorities arrested four individuals involved in a phone theft scheme linked to a Marketplace listing for an iPhone 15. They now face second-degree murder charges, with three adults maintaining their not guilty pleas while awaiting trial, and the fourth being a minor, whose circumstances are not yet known.
Victims have voiced concerns about the platform, which boasts over 1 billion users each month, citing rampant fraud, theft, and violence. Some believe users need greater protection while navigating this free-buy-and-sell section of Facebook.
In response to the danger, Meta, Facebook’s parent company, suggests users take precautionary measures such as canceling transactions if they observe suspicious behavior and reporting any inappropriate listings or individuals.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated incident. Carlos Carrazana Ricardo, an 18-year-old from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was killed in November 2023 while attempting to assist a friend looking for a car. After a long drive to Baltimore to inspect a used Acura listed for $4,000, they found it unsatisfactory. As they were about to leave, the seller, 18-year-old Marquis Harris, pulled a gun and fired, fatally hitting Carlos. His mother expressed grief over her son’s untimely death, stating that their family moved to the U.S. in hopes of a better life.
Harris was later convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment plus ten additional years.
In another alarming case, a Missouri couple experienced an armed robbery after meeting a buyer for a $240 electric fireplace advertised on Marketplace. The buyer, who identified himself as “Hot Rod Scott,” held them at gunpoint after they demonstrated that the fireplace was functional. The couple shared their ordeal online, linking it to similar stories from other victims.
Experts, including cybersecurity professor Steve Wiseman, warn that many perpetrators are young adults who exploit Facebook’s platform, often by creating fake profiles and luring victims into unsafe situations. He highlighted that Facebook could improve user safety through better monitoring and protective measures.
Data from law enforcement agencies suggest that crimes tied to Facebook Marketplace are not systematically monitored. For instance, a survey in 2021 indicated 13 murders associated with Marketplace. Reports from the NYPD described a pattern of thefts in which individuals posed as sellers to rob unsuspecting victims.
In September 2025, a former Meta integrity researcher testified before Congress, suggesting that the social network’s marketplace contributes to hardships for users, with incidents ranging from financial losses to violent assaults. His findings indicated that around 9% of users have faced negative experiences on the platform in the preceding month.
Critics argue that Meta prioritizes profits over user safety and has not effectively curbed criminal activity. Some experts recommend that the platform implement measures like requiring verified IDs and providing more educational resources to users.
Facebook encourages users to verify sellers’ profiles, meet in public spaces, and inform others of their plans, yet for those like Carlos’ mother, it’s already too late. “I thought Facebook Marketplace was a safe place,” she lamented. “We need to further verify it in some way,” adding that Carlos was a wonderful son, brother, and student.
