The Death of Paige Birgfeld

With technology and in particular, the Internet, whole world`s are opening up for the ordinary person in the street.  Yet, despite the huge changes to our lives, the Internet is full of potential danger to the unwary.  One is the proliferation of dating and contact sites now on the Web.  There will be women - and men - who will view it as a safer way to conduct potential friendships or "business" but now there are predators who scour the Web for victims, rather than troll red light areas or public conveniences.  One popular site is "Craigslist" which has thrown up killer Philip Markoff, and four of the identified victims of the Long Island serial Killer, were prostitutes who advertised on Craigslist.  But there are numerous different sites that people use to advertise their "services."  One such site was "Naughty Nightlife" which a woman calling herself "Carrie" advertised herself.  Her real name was Paige Birgfeld.

    Paige was 34 years old, a divorced mother of three, who owned her own Acupuncture business and was a part time Sales Consultant for the Pampered Chef business.  She lived in a $1,000,000 home and lived a very sumptuous lifestyle in Colorado.  Nobody had a clue that much of her lifestyle was paid for by her secret sideline as an on-line escort.  Everything changed for her on June 28th 2007 when her Ford Focus car was found ablaze in the car park of a local business.  There was no sign of Paige.  For nearly five years, she was officially listed as missing, until a hiker came across the remains of a skeleton in Delta County, close to the mesa County line.  Along with bones, there were pieces of clothing and various objects, that eventually led to her identification.  A Forensic Anthropologist was brought in to determine cause of death, but was unable to do so.  A cold case team was brought in to attempt to solve the case, and they soon had a suspect.  He had been one of her clients.  He was 56 years old and had a criminal record that raised a huge red flag.  He had been jailed for five years for an assault and abduction.  His home was searched twice by Police but no charges have ever been served.

    Comments on this case have brought a differing mix of opinions.  Some believe that she put her life on the line because of greed, in order to maintain her expensive home and lifestyle, others believe it was in order to give her and her children a better life.  Others say she simply paid the price for doing what can be a very dangerous occupation.  Paige was twice divorced.  She started out as a stripper at a club, which her first husband was unhappy about.  They later divorced.  Then she married a wealthy patron of the club she worked at, hence the luxury home, but they too, later divorced.  Both men were eliminated from Police enquiries.  At the end of the day, she was a victim of some violent nutcase and that is very wrong.