Craigslist killer death ends ordeal for his Irish fiancée

Suicide of killer in Boston prison ends horrific episode in Irish American fiancée's life

By: JANE WALSH | Published Monday, August 16, 2010, 7:05 AM | Updated Monday, August 16, 2010, 8:37 AM

The suicide of Craigslist killer Philip Markoff in a Boston prison brings to an end a horrible episode in the life of his fiancée Megan McAllister, described as a “sweet Irish girl.”

McAllister from New Jersey, and a medical student, had no idea the man she intended to marry was a killer who preyed on women he met through the Craigslist site.

McAllister ended their relationship during a visit to see him on April 29 of this year after standing behind him for months and saying he was not guilty.
Whether that contributed to Markoff’s suicide was not known.

Susan Fagan Madalenna, mother of one of Megan’s bridesmaids in the wedding that never happened told IrishCentral.com from her Little Silver, N.J.home, last year that friends and family were "fully behind Megan in her time of need" and that they found the whole story “horrific”.

"We could not believe it when we heard it," she said. “A reporter told me last night, and I was so shocked.” She said the reporters identified her from the couple's website wedding page.

Madallena said her daughter and McAllister were best friends from childhood and their families shared pride in their Irish heritage.

“She is a neighbor’s kid, from a great family. I’m just so glad she’s safe.” She described Megan as “a very smart kid, going to medical school, just bright and wonderful”.

Madallena said back then that TV trucks were parked outside her house in the New Jersey suburb, and that she had been invited to appear on several major TV shows.

“I can’t believe all this has happened," she said.

Neither she nor her daughter ever met Markoff, she stated. Megan has gone on record originally standing by her beau in an interview with the Boston Herald.

Soon after, she sent an email to People magazine defending Markoff: "Philip has not been convicted," she wrote. "A policeman who wished to make money off this story sold it to countless companies. Philip is a beautiful man inside and out and did not commit this crime. Unfortunately, somebody else did and needs to be penalized. Philip was set up and you are wrong to be asking me for stories."