Fergie's Tech Blog

California: Man Allegedly Drugged, Burned After Meeting Brazilian Woman Online

Whoa.

John Coté writes in The San Francisco Chronicle:

Raymond Merrill bought a $5,000 engagement ring for Regina Filomena Rachid and declared in e-mails, "I have more kisses for you than there are stars in the sky."

Rachid's photos adorned his computer desktop and the walls in the San Bruno home he was fixing up. He had a stack of the Brazilian woman's glamour shots -- one with her topless, her jeans seductively unzipped partway. Wedding plans were discussed, messages on his computer show.

Merrill, a 56-year-old divorced carpenter and musician, thought he had found love online.

Instead, authorities believe Rachid lured Merrill to Brazil and masterminded a plot in which he was drugged for about six days until he disclosed his bank account information, then was strangled and his body set on fire, according to Merrill's sister, a friend and Brazilian news accounts.

posted by Fergie @ 10/25/2006 01:26:00 PM