Ohio craigslist suspect's mom says he's innocent

BARBERTON, Ohio - The mother of a 16-year-old Stow boy, charged with attempted murder in a craigslist ad investigation, said he's innocent and is cooperating with authorities.

In an interview Monday with NewsChannel5, Yvette Rafferty said her son, Brogan Rafferty, has been manipulated and that he is not guilty in the so-called craigslist killings.

"He's a scared little boy.  Brogan wouldn't hurt an animal, a person, anything.  He's got a heart and he's not the killer," Yvette said.

She also read portions of letters written by Brogan from jail. In one of them, Brogan wrote "I trust in God that He wouldn't make one of his servants suffer so emotionally and I am convinced that something will happen between now and then. I've put it in God's hands and I'm not worried."

Authorities said men were lured into a deadly robbery scheme by a false job ad for a farm hand on craigslist.  At least two men were shot and killed and another wounded. One other body may be connected to the case.

The bodies of two men were found buried in shallow graves the day after Thanksgiving. One of the victims has been identified as Timothy Kern, 47, of Massillon. His body was discovered in a wooded area behind Rolling Acres Mall in Akron. The other body, discovered in Noble County, has not been identified.

Yvette said her son is cooperating with the FBI. She would not say if information, provided by Brogan, led FBI agents to the bodies found last Friday. "He's telling them everything he knows. He promised me -- and my son doesn't lie. I think the main thing (is) he wants for these families to be able to get the help they need," Yvette said.

Brogan is charged with complicity to attempted murder and is being held in a juvenile detention center in Zanesville. He's scheduled to appear in a juvenile court on Tuesday. His mother expects the case to be transferred to common pleas court, where Brogan would stand trial as an adult.

The prime suspect in the murders, Richard Beasley, 52, of Akron, has not been charged. He's being held in the Summit County Jail on unrelated charges.

Yvette said Brogan drove Beasley to Noble County, but she insists Brogan knew nothing of a craigslist murder plot. She believes Brogan was manipulated by Beasley, a man Brogan trusted and considered a religious mentor.

Yvette has written a letter to Beasley. "I told him I was very disappointed in him and that he's probably never going to see the light of day. Please tell the truth," Yvette said.

Yvette said her son was getting the best grades of his life this year at Stow-Munroe Falls High School. She also said Brogan is a polite, respectful boy who is now "praying for the victims' families."

"I pray for them more than I pray for us," Yvette said.