20 year old Danny Diaz-Delgado of Trenton, New Jersey was killed on March 23 after attempting to buy a PlayStation 4 for his younger brother from a stranger he was conversing with through Facebook Messenger. Diaz-Delgado's body was found lying face down in a creek the next afternoon. His hands were tied behind his back with an electrical cord and pink duct tape, the latter of which was also used on his neck and mouth. According to police, Diaz-Delgado's body was shot nine times.

Police allege that Diaz-Delgado's murderer was 29 year old Rufus Thompson, a convicted burglar. Police believe that Diaz-Delgado arrived at the agreed meeting place with $240 to buy a PlayStation 4 that didn't exist, and that is when Thompson abducted him. Thompson apparently killed Diaz-Delgado at the creek, and then went to an ATM to withdraw $700 from Diaz-Delgado's bank account.

A police search of Thompson's home revealed an empty PlayStation 4 box, pink duct tape, and a TV without its cord. Further evidence that led police to believe Thompson was the culprit included a Facebook photo of what appeared to be about $240 in $20 bills - the agreed upon price of the PS4.

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Thompson was arrested on March 31 and plead not guilty to charges that included murder, robbery, kidnapping, and more on Monday, April 2. Thompson is being held by authorities as he awaits a detention hearing. Diaz-Delgado's funeral took place on the day of Thompson's arrest.

In addition to video games, Diaz-Delgado enjoyed sports, camping, and martial arts. He worked as a lifeguard and was involved with youth programs through the Assemblies of God Church in his hometown of Trenton, New Jersey. Diaz-Delgado is survived by his parents, in addition to 12 siblings as well as a number of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

The tragic death of Diaz-Delgado should serve as a reminder that meeting strangers from the Internet always carries with it a certain level of risk. Whether it's through Craigslist, Facebook, or wherever else, it's always best to bring other people along for safety purposes, and to exercise extreme caution, even when meeting in a public place.

Source: The Washington Post, Obituary