The Murder of Alexis Murphy
Alexis Tiara Murphy was a 17-year-old girl from Virginia, her family described her as bubbly and happy and she was a keen volleyball player with a lot of friends.
On 3rd August 2013, Alexis left her home in Shipman to travel to the city of Lynchburg, she was last seen at a gas station driving her white car. Alexis was never seen again. Alexis' family became worried when she failed to contact them and reported her as missing. On 6th August Alexis' car was found abandoned in a parking lot.
Police began to identify people who had been seen in close proximity to Alexis including at the gas station she stopped at. Randy Taylor was arrested based on CCTV placing him near Alexis before she went missing. Cameras captured him speaking with Alexis and then her following his vehicle in her car. A strand of Alexis' hair was found in Taylor's camper van, a torn fingernail, fake eyelashes, a blood-stained T-shirt and a diamond earring stud were also found. Taylor initially claimed to have met Alexis but not killed her and later admitted to her murder. He attempted to bargain for a lesser sentence by claiming a third person had been involved and said he would reveal the location of Alexis' body for a 20-year-sentence. This was declined and he was sentenced to life in prison. Taylor was also linked to another missing teenager Virginia- Samantha Clark.
Seven years after her disappearance in December 2020, Alexis' remains were found on private property.
