Convicted Murderer's Online Dating Profile Sparks Controversy: Report

EVANSTON, IL — Chicago-area women were warned to be vigilant on dating apps, as users of one platform discovered the profile of a man who was convicted of the 1995 murder of his friend, according to a report from the Chicago Tribune.

When Paul Modrowski was 18 years old, he and a co-defendant were charged with the murder of Dean Fawcett, whose body was found headless near railroad tracks in Barrington in 1993. A jury convicted Modrowski under the legal theory of accountability because law enforcement was unable to prove he was there when Fawcett was killed.

Modrowski served more than 30 years of a natural life sentence before a judge ruled he had been punished too harshly and resentenced him to a 60-year term. He was released in 2024.

Modrowski, now 51, earned a bachelor's degree while incarcerated from Northwestern University, where he currently works as an academic researcher.

Last week, women online discovered his dating profile on the League, an online dating app, and circulated screenshots of it on social media. The profile included Modrowski's photo, name and the incorrect age of 37, but didn't include his criminal history.

One online post read, "Chicago ladies please be careful. There's a convicted murderer in the area who was just let out of prison early (was supposed to be a 60 year sentence) and he's now on a bunch of the dating apps."

In a post on Modrowski's online blog, he said he was aware of the online statements, but said they are misleading and "omit critical legal and factual context."

"I do not include this history on dating profiles or in early, introductory conversations because it is complex, deeply personal, and appropriately discussed privately. My intent has never been to mislead, but to allow interpersonal connections to develop before addressing a legal history that cannot be responsibly reduced to a label," Modrowski said.

Read more from the Chicago Tribune: After man freed in Barrington murder-dismemberment case, online dating efforts spark anger