Craigslist Killer Death Shocks Former Friend

Despite prior attempts to take his own life, the apparent suicide of suspected "Craigslist Killer" Philip Markoff still took past friends by surprise.

"I was surprised to hear it, even though he tried it before in the past," Houston, a friend of Markoff in their days as students at the State University of New York at Albany, told "Early Show" co-anchor Erica Hill Monday. "I just assumed that it was behind him. I had mixed emotions about the whole thing. At one point he was a friend."

Markoff, the Boston University medical student who was arrested in April, was accused of killing one woman who advertised erotic services on Craigslist and robbing another.

CBS News's John Bentley reported that the Markoff case has prompted calls for Craigslist to drop its adult services advertising, but the company has refused, claiming it monitors the site for any illegal activity. Bentley said adult ads constitute more than one-third of Craigslist's revenue, according to one Internet monitor.

Markoff was being held at the Nashua Street Jail in Boston. A statement released by Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis and Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said Markoff "was alone in his cell and all evidence collected thus far indicates that he took his own life."

Houston recalled a night when the two went out drinking with some friends, and Markoff allegedly got physically aggressive toward her when they were going home.

"At the entrance to the dorm, he shoved me up against the wall and tried kissing me," Houston said. "I couldn't physically overpower him to get him off. It was really scary because I was fighting against him and saying, no, Phil, what are you doing? And thankfully one of our other friends came up and had to pull him off of me."

Houston, who was speaking from Philadelphia, said, "That's not the guy I knew. It was a totally different side. I just blamed it on the alcohol. I thought, well, this isn't normally him. Yes, he can be awkward but he wouldn't do something like this.

"When I knew him, I didn't really see any tendencies towards this."

Asked whether there was anything that could have led Markoff to the crimes he's suspected of, Houston said she was at a lost. "Who knows. I wish he had maybe left something behind saying what happened."

Markoff pleaded not guilty in the April 2009 fatal shooting of Julissa Brisman, of New York City, and the armed robbery of a Las Vegas woman, both at Boston hotels.

Markoff was arrested days after his image was shown on surveillance video at the hotels.

Shortly after his arrest in 2009, Markoff was put on suicide watch after shoelace marks were found on his neck, reports CBS News station WBZ in Boston.

CBS' "48 Hours Mystery" producer Paul LaRosa, who wrote a book about Markoff called "Seven Days of Rage," said Markoff had tried to kill himself twice.

John Salsberg, who was Markoff's lawyer, said he was shocked by his client's death. At the time of the earlier suicide attempt, Salsberg said Markoff was having difficulty transitioning "from being free to being incarcerated."

Markoff's trial was expected in March.

[CHARITYFORTUNE]

You know what concerns me is that you appear to be the type of a person who would love to get even with this man. You seem like a person who blows things out of proportion and the fact that you say You can't believe that this happened that he killed himself to get on national television and then turn around oh but he did try it once before makes my gut feeling about you so real. I think you are a very immature girl who doesn't care about anyone but yourself because he dumped you didn't he? I just think your a person who is lying by what you said. I don't believe you at all. And I think its a shame that you would say the things you have an jump into the story without knowing the facts. It's people like you that call themselves "former friend" who never was a friend at all and never could be one!

[markenriquez71]

Whatever the case I'm glad he killed himself. Murderers are useless, and lot of them eventually get put back into society where they shouldn't be, MURDERERS DO NOT DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE.

[MalloryDavis]

Asserting rigidity for your beliefs does nothing but make you look the fool.

[gwilsing]

Suicide actions are complex within ever individual. With that said the gentleman act seems to be born out of extreme guilt. Waking up to the reality that he was no longer sheltered from his guilt or his conscious awareness of living a selfish life. Only I matter is what he had to be saying. Only I matter were his actions as he sought to pursue his gambling addiction. For that is an addict's mantra as the addiction takes hold of them. So as realization sets in so does the truth of one's character begin to find its weight. The weight of his actions and the consequences thereof go to say that peace of mind for his payment to society was greater then he could bear. Condolences to his parents and friends, but most of all to the victim(s) he murdered out of selfishness and entitlement. For his action was that of farther proof that he was above society's judgement, that he knew best how to reflect his character to this world. To stay entitled, to stay selfish, to give no quarter to those he hurt the most, which was the victim's future to become a better person. For what she was at death could pale in comparison to the redemptive person she could have become if he had not taken her life.