Man randomly confesses to 2016 murder after being approached for welfare check at side of road
Authorities say a welfare check of a man sitting beside the highway turned into possibly solving a murder in 2016 due to his roadside confession
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A routine welfare check of a man sitting on the roadside in Oklahoma took a drastic turn when highway troopers realised they had just caught an alleged murderer of a killing eight years ago.
A passerby travelling on the side of Interstate 40 in Oklahoma on Thursday noticed the man, identified as 28-year-old Joseph Tyler Beck, sitting on the side of the road and reported him to authorities.
Trooper Matt Snyder from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol came to the location at around 10.30am for a welfare check on the man, who then began voluntarily telling him about his involvement in a death that happened in Edmond in 2016, the highway patrol wrote on their social media.
After Mr Beck revealed an almost eight-year-old confession to the troopers, they then transported Mr Beck and handed him over to the Edmond Police Department, who placed him under arrest for first-degree homicide in the death of 19-year-old Jennifer Kyli Molloy.
“This is yet another example of how a trooper never knows exactly what he or she will encounter on the side of the road,” the Oklahoma Highway Patrol wrote.
“Good job by everyone and we hope this ultimately ends in answers for an Oklahoma family.”
Molloy was found dead in her Edmond apartment on 5 October 2016, and while an initial investigation into her death had drawn multiple leads over the years, no arrests were ever made – until now, the police department said.
While police did not disclose what details Mr Beck shared with police that made him an official suspect in the case, it was enough for the police to place him under arrest.
Court documents obtained by News4, however, say that Mr Beck had known Molloy for years and were former co-workers.
The documents reportedly say that he invited himself over to her apartment and she allowed him to come inside. He allegedly tried to make romantic advances, but when she refused and asked him to leave, he became violent.
Edmond Police spokesperson Emily Ward told the outlet that, to her knowledge, Mr Beck had never been a suspect in the case.
While finding out the alleged murderer of Molloy will bring some sort of closure to her loved ones, discovering that the suspect is Mr Beck is a shock that is too close to home for some of her family.
“Growing up with Joseph, he was the nicest guy, he was the sweetest guy,” Christa Stanfiel, the victim’s sister, told News9, who said Mr Beck was known to the family.
“You would never think anything ill-mannered from him and to know this happened and that he did this over something so stupid.”
Ms Stanfiel revealed that her sister’s alleged murderer had started reaching out to her months after her sister’s death asking to meet up.
She further claimed that he even asked as recently as last month, but she never responded.
As for Molloy’s father, Johnny Molloy, he told the outlet that he has been waiting a very long time for justice in her daughter’s death and “never really thought it would happen”.
“I’m glad this man has come forward and want to see justice done,” he said.
Mr Beck is currently being held in the Oklahoma County Detention Center on a $10 million bond.
The Independent has contacted the Edmond Police Department for further information.