Craigslist founder helps memorialize murder victim

The founder of Craigslist joined the effort to remember a 24-year-old Minnesota woman who died after responding to a phony ad for a baby sitter.

Craig Newmark made a personal contribution to the Katherine Ann Olson fund on Sunday at a concert organized to raise money for a scholarship in her name. Craigslist is a popular online advertising site.

"Despite the billions of times well-meaning people have helped each other through Craigslist, it has been devastating to see that it can also be used by bad people to take cruel advantage of others," Newmark said as he stood with Olson's family on stage at Grace Church in Eden Prairie.

Newmark reminded the crowd of more than 1,200 people to take precautions when using the Internet, and he praised the family's efforts to help Olson's legacy live on.

"I'm saddened that we met in these circumstances, but I am truly inspired by the Olson family," Newmark said. "I extend my love and friendship to them."

Newmark wasn't available for interviews, and a spokeswoman said he wanted to keep the amount of his donation private. Olson's father Rolf described the donation as "substantial," though he declined to specify the amount.

Craigslist made headlines in October 2007 when Olson was found dead after responding to the ad. The Web site received negative attention again last month, when a Boston University medical student was arrested and charged in the death of a 25-year-old masseuse he had allegedly contacted through Craigslist.

Both deaths are reminders that "truly evil intentions do exist," Newmark said Sunday.

Olson's family decided to create a scholarship at her alma mater, St. Olaf College in Northfield. Preference for the scholarship will go to Hispanic and Latino students, in memory of Olson's passion for working with Hispanic children in her community.

The memorial concert, which featured musicians Olson liked along with a local Latino theater troupe with which she once performed, has been in the works for a long time.

"We still don't have any control in a sense because Katherine is gone," Rolf told KARE 11 Sunday. "But at least we have a chance to celebrate her life."

Donations to the scholarship fund can be made here.

Michael John Anderson was sentenced last month to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing Olson, whose body was found in the trunk of her car abandoned in a park about five blocks from Anderson's house.

By Joe Fryer, KARE 11 News   Read Joe's Blog

Check out our KARE family of Web sites:
	takeKARE		Metromix
	Moms Like Me		Minnesota Bound
	Showcase Minnesota