What happened to Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley? Details explored ahead of Very Scary Lovers on ID

Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley met Benjamin and Erika Sifrit in May 2002 while visiting Ocean City, Maryland, for the Memorial Day weekend. After an evening at Seacrets nightclub, the Sifrits invited them to their condo, where Erika staged a confrontation over a "missing purse."

According to casetext.com (October 21, 2010), this accusation escalated, leading to Joshua Ford being shot multiple times with a .357 Magnum. Martha Crutchley was also killed, though her cause of death could not be confirmed, as only her left leg was recovered from a landfill.

The case will be explored in Very Scary Lovers, a new Investigation Discovery special hosted by Donnie Wahlberg and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg. Airing on February 2 at 10 pm ET/PT, the program follows their previous true crime series very scary people.

The documentary presents Benjamin and Erika Sifrit as an outwardly ordinary newlywed couple whose relationship spiralled into a series of violent crimes.

The episode will feature first-person accounts and exclusive footage, detailing the dynamics between the couple that led to the murders of Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley.

---

The "missing purse" scenario was staged to justify the attack on Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley by Benjamin and Erika Sifrit

The murder of Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley in May 2002 was a calculated act orchestrated by Benjamin and Erika Sifrit. According to casetext.com October 21, 2010, the couple lured Ford and Crutchley to their Ocean City, Maryland, condo after meeting them at Seacrets nightclub.

The Sifrits staged a scenario in which Erika falsely claimed her purse was missing, using the accusation to intimidate their guests. The situation escalated into a violent attack inside the condominium’s upstairs bathroom.

Joshua Ford was shot multiple times with a .357 Magnum, while Martha Crutchley was also killed, though her exact cause of death could not be determined as only her left leg was later recovered.

Investigation and arrest

Concerns over Ford and Crutchley’s disappearance emerged on May 28, 2002, when Crutchley’s coworkers reported her absence.

Police found their belongings undisturbed at their rental condo, but the couple was missing. The investigation escalated when, on May 31, the Sifrits were caught burglarizing a Hooters store.

Upon their arrest, police discovered Ford and Crutchley’s identification cards inside Erika’s purse, along with spent .357 Magnum shell casings. A search of their condominium revealed bloodstains matching the victims' DNA in the master bathroom, as well as bullets matching those recovered from Ford’s remains.

Further evidence emerged from a witness, Melissa Seling, who visited the Sifrits' condo days after the murders. According to her testimony, Benjamin brandished a firearm and made statements implying he had killed before.

The bathroom door had a bullet hole, and Melissa was forced to participate in another staged "missing purse" scenario, further supporting the prosecution’s case that this tactic had been used on Ford and Crutchley before their murders.

Trial and convictions

Benjamin and Erika Sifrit were tried separately in 2003. According to casetext.com October 21, 2010, Benjamin was convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, and accessory after the fact, receiving a 38-year sentence.

Erika tried later and was convicted of first-degree murder in Ford’s death and second-degree murder in Crutchley’s, receiving a life sentence plus 20 years.

The prosecution maintained that both were involved, though the exact roles they played remained uncertain.

The case of Joshua Ford and Martha Crutchley, explored in Very Scary Lovers, underscores how a seemingly normal couple orchestrated a premeditated crime, using deception and violence to fulfil their motives.

---

Stay tuned for more updates.