Lovingston
Nelson County, Virginia
Alexis Murphy would have been 25 years old in June of this year. She never got the chance to see that birthday. Seven years ago we broke the story about the missing teenager in this post. Eventually Randy Taylor received two life sentences in connection with Alexis’ death, but a body was never recovered.
Today Nelson County Sheriff David Hill and Nelson County’s Commonwealth Attorney Daniel Rutherford confirmed that Alexis’ body has been found.
Verbatim press release from Nelson Sheriff David Hill:
After more than seven years of search efforts, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI’s Richmond Division, and the Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation’s Appomattox Field Office announce they have located and recovered the remains of missing 17-year old Alexis Tiara Murphy of Nelson County, Virginia.
Alexis went missing on August 3, 2013, after visiting a local gas station in Lovingston, Virginia. Local, state and federal law enforcement pursued multiple leads and conducted numerous searches, at the time, in an effort to locate Alexis. The searches have continued periodically since her disappearance in 2013, with law enforcement expanding the search area each time.
On December 3, 2020, remains were located on private property near Stagebridge Road, along Route 29 in Lovingston. The remains were transported to the Central District Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Richmond for positive identification. Positive identification was received from the OCME on February 5, 2021. With careful consideration for Alexis’ family being paramount, notification to the community was delayed to allow them time to grieve and make proper arrangements.
With the comprehensive investigation, successful prosecution by the Nelson County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and the recovery of Alexis, this case is now no longer active.
Law enforcement did not work this investigation alone. We would like to thank Alexis’ family, friends, classmates, teammates and the community for their continued assistance and patience as we worked to find Alexis.
Alexis’ family has asked for privacy, and does not wish to speak to the media. They have provided the following statement:
“Our family is so grateful for the continuing love, support and prayers for Alexis and our family over the past 7 years. While we have been grieving the loss of Alexis since 2013, we remained hopeful that she would be found alive and well. Alexis was the fashionista, athlete and joker of our family; we were blessed to have loved her for 17 years and her memory will continue to live on through us all. Our family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks and sincere gratitude to the citizens of Nelson County, the FBI, the Virginia State Police, the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office and all of the search and rescue teams for your commitment and unwavering support to find Alexis. You all kept the promise made in 2013, to bring Alexis home!
During this time, we ask that you continue to lift our family up in prayer and in the words of Alexis, ‘Keep Hope Alive’.”
Respectfully,
Family of Alexis Murphy
Nelson County’s Commonwealth Attorney Rutherford also went on in his remarks to recognize and praise the former CA Anthony Martin who was in office during the murder and subsequent prosecution of Randy Taylor.
“I am grateful for the hard work accomplished in the continued search for Alexis. I also want to thank my predecessor Anthony Martin for all of his hard work getting justice for Alexis and her family.”
For days and days the search for Alexis went on and on. Eventually her car was found abandoned in the parking lot of a Charlottesville movie theater.
For years authorities searched for Alexis’ body, but until today’s announcement had been unsuccessful.
Complete archives on our coverage from the last 7 years can be found here.
