New York teenager confesses to killing and setting fire to a gay man

The two men may have met on Craigslist

A teenager in New York state has been charged with murder after he confessed this week to stabbing and setting fire to a gay man that he may have met through Craigslist, according to the Syracuse Post-Standard.

Kyle Box, 18, told police that he went to the house of Randy Bent, a 62-year-old gay man, and stabbed him with a knife. When Mr Bent dropped to the floor, Mr Box lit his body on fire.

The incident first came to the attention of authorities as a house fire, but turned into a murder investigation when police found Mr Bent’s body had multiple stab wounds.

Police have not offered a motive or determined how the men knew each other, but friends of Mr Bent say he often met people on Craigslist

The Watertown Daily Times, a local paper, reported a listing in the men-seeking-men casual encounters section of Craigslist that may have been written by Mr Box.

“Hello my name is Kyle and I’ve had trouble looking for a job so if anyone out their [sic] needs someone to give them a good time and call or text me i’ll gladly give you something you wont forget. :),” the personal read.

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