Memorial Day weekend in Ocean City is usually about the beach, overpriced fries, and the kind of salt-air freedom you only find on the Maryland coast. But back in 2002, something shifted. Two couples met on a bus. They shared a laugh, a few drinks at Seacrets, and a ride. By sunrise, one of those couples—Joshua Ford and Martha "Geney" Crutchley—was gone.
The people responsible weren't career criminals. At least, not on paper. Erika and BJ Sifrit were, by most accounts, a "golden" couple. He was a former Navy SEAL trainee; she was an honor student and a basketball star. But as the investigation into the disappearance of Ford and Crutchley unfolded, the public learned that the Sifrits were living a double life fueled by a terrifying brand of "thrill-seeking."
Honestly, the details of what happened in that penthouse are still enough to turn your stomach.
The "Missing Purse" Game
The most chilling part of the Erika and BJ Sifrit case isn't just the murders—it's how they lured their victims. According to court testimony and Erika’s own statements, the couple had a "game." They’d invite people back to their condo, claim a purse was missing, and then accuse their guests of stealing it.
It was a trap.
On that night in May, they did exactly that to Josh and Geney. Imagine being on vacation, making new friends, and suddenly being stared down by a guy with Navy SEAL training holding a gun over a "stolen" bag that didn't even exist. Erika and BJ Sifrit cornered the Virginia couple in a bathroom.
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Josh was shot four times through the bathroom door. Geney’s death was even more mysterious; because of the state of her remains, investigators couldn't pinpoint a cause of death, though the theory was that she was either stabbed or died from the trauma of the night.
How a Hooters Burglary Blew the Case Open
You’d think people who could pull off a double murder and a professional-level cleanup would know how to stay under the radar. Nope. Just days after they dismembered the bodies and tossed them in dumpsters across the Delaware line, they were caught breaking into a Hooters restaurant.
They weren't there for the wings.
They were stealing merchandise. When police caught them mid-burglary, they found more than just stolen t-shirts. Erika asked for her anxiety medication from her purse. When the officer looked inside, he found the driver's licenses of Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley.
That was it. The thread pulled, and everything unraveled.
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The Souvenirs
One of the most disturbing aspects that the prosecution brought up was Erika’s "scrapbooking." She didn't just kill; she collected. Police found spent shell casings, photos of the victims taken earlier that night, and even a bullet with Josh’s blood and tissue on it sitting on a glass table in their condo.
It’s almost like they wanted to be caught, or at the very least, they wanted a gallery of their own depravity.
Where Are Erika and BJ Sifrit Now?
It's been over two decades since the murders, and the legal saga has been long. They aren't together anymore—they divorced back in 2010 while in prison.
BJ Sifrit was convicted of second-degree murder and first-degree assault for Geney Crutchley's death. He actually got a lighter sentence than Erika, receiving 38 years. He's been up for parole, but as of his last hearing in 2022, he was denied. If he doesn't get out early, his mandatory release date is currently set for 2030.
Erika Sifrit is in a different boat. She was convicted of first-degree murder for Josh and second-degree for Geney. Her sentence? Life plus 20 years. She has tried every appeal in the book—claiming her lawyer was bad, citing her borderline personality disorder, even claiming BJ forced her into it.
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Nothing has worked. Most recently, in 2024, her bid for parole was denied. She remains incarcerated at the Maryland Correctional Institution for Women.
Why This Case Still Matters
People often ask why we’re still talking about this. It’s because it breaks the "profile." We like to think of murderers as monsters lurking in shadows, not the athletic, married couple you meet at a bar. The Erika and BJ Sifrit story is a reminder that the most dangerous people are often the ones who look exactly like everyone else.
If you're following this case, there are a few things to keep an eye on:
- BJ’s 2030 Release: Unless things change, BJ will likely be a free man in just a few years. That’s a polarizing thought for the families of the victims.
- Parole Cycles: Erika will continue to be eligible for hearings, but given the "souvenir" nature of the crime and the lack of a clear motive other than "thrill," her chances remain slim.
- Case Studies: This case is still used in forensic psychology to study "folie à deux"—the shared psychosis or delusion where two people feed off each other’s darkest impulses.
The Ocean City murders changed how people viewed resort safety. It wasn't a dark alley crime; it was a "party" that never ended for two people who just wanted to see what it felt like to kill.
Stay informed on parole board decisions by checking the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services (DPSCS) inmate locator. Public records are often the best way to cut through the true-crime sensationalism and see where these two actually stand in the eyes of the law.
Practical Next Steps
If you're researching this case for legal or psychological reasons, you can access the full Maryland Court of Appeals documents (Sifrit v. State). These records provide the most accurate, non-sensationalized accounts of the evidence found in the penthouse and the specific timeline of the "missing purse" game. For those interested in the impact on victim advocacy, looking into the "Josh and Geney" memorial efforts in Virginia shows the long-term community impact of the tragedy.