In a surprising turn of events, a routine welfare check in Oklahoma uncovered a major development in a cold case murder. Joseph Beck, while sitting by the side of an interstate highway near Oklahoma City, confessed to the 2016 murder of 19-year-old Jennifer Kyli Molloy.
Beck made this confession to a state trooper who was conducting the welfare check following a report from a passerby about a man alone near an exit off I-40, as per Oklahoma Highway Patrol. Subsequently, Beck was taken to the Edmond Police Department, the agency that had originally investigated Molloy's murder. Following further investigation, the 28-year-old was arrested as a suspect and charged with first-degree murder. Records indicate that Beck was placed in the Oklahoma County Detention Center on Friday and remained in custody as of Monday morning.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol expressed their hope that this development will bring closure and answers to a grieving Oklahoma family.
Tragic Murder Case Finally Solved
On October 5, 2016, the lifeless body of Kyli Molloy was discovered in her apartment in Edmond, just 15 miles north of Oklahoma City. The Edmond Police Department made a statement declaring her death as "suspicious," initiating an investigation that would span several years with no previous arrests made.
Recently, Beck made a shocking confession to CBS affiliate KWTV, admitting to strangling Molloy to death. According to Edmond police, Beck's detailed account of the murder made him the primary suspect in the cold case. During questioning, Beck revealed that he and Molloy were colleagues, and his confession detailed his attraction to her. He recounted a visit to her apartment with intentions of assault, leading to a fatal altercation when she requested him to leave.
Johnny Molloy, the victim's father, expressed a mix of emotions upon hearing Beck's confession. While shocked and angry, he also found some closure in the arrest. He had been waiting for this moment for a long time, never truly believing it would come to pass. The exact nature of Beck and Kyli Molloy's relationship beyond the workplace remains unclear, although her family acknowledged knowing the suspect for a period of time.
"Growing up with Joseph, he was the nicest guy, he was the sweetest guy," Christa Stanfiel, the victim's sister, shared with the station. "You would never think anything ill-mannered from him and to know this happened and that he did this over something so stupid."
Stanfiel disclosed that Beck reached out to her months after her sister's death and expressed a desire to meet, as reported by KWTV. Despite his persistent attempts to contact her, she chose not to respond to his messages, with the most recent being in April of this year. CBS News reached out to the Edmond Police Department for further details, but there has been no immediate response.
