Alexis Murphy Missing: Suspect Randy Allen Taylor Arrested For Abduction Under Investigation For Possible Serial Abduction and Murder With Ties Also To Samantha Clarke and Alicia Showalter Reynolds
Nelson County, VA-
Randolph Taylor
Announced this morning by Virginia Commonwealth Attorney an arrest has been made in the abduction of missing Lovington woman Alexis Murphy.
Randolph Allen Taylor, is being held in Albemarle County Jail on a kidnapping charge.
Murphy’s vehicle was found over the weekend in a Charlottesville Carmike parking lot near her job at a consignment boutique, Murphy has not been located and was last seen at a gas station approximately 39 miles away.
Taylor was the recent recipient of vacated charges when Green County, VA Major Randy Snead authorized the placement of a GPS, without a warrant, under Taylor’s 1993 Gran Marquis while investigating his association to another missing woman- Samantha Clarke.
Snead was exonerated in any wrongdoing after he chased a 19 year old man who had stolen a deputies vehicle out of his jurisdiction and was part of over twenty officer’s responsible for shooting the suspect, Colby Eppard.
The FBI is also looking for a GMC Suburban which is also associated with Randy Taylor.
During today’s press conference, Richmond FBI Chief announced that law enforcement will not be commenting on reports of Taylor’s suspect status in other possibly related unsolved cases, however, www.blinkoncrime has learned that at the top of the possible case list is the unsolved abduction and murder of Alicia Showalter Reynolds. Taylor bears a strikingly similar resemblance to the sketch generated in Reynolds disappearance and murder.
1996 Showalter Suspect
Two unsolved murders in 1996 Shenandoah National Park, Julianne Williams and Lollie Winans which resulted in a 2002 indictment against Darrell Rice ended in the withdrawal of same in 2004 due to a DNA profile found that did not match Rice. It is not known if police are investigating any potential involvement by Taylor in that case.
Although Virginia State Police and the FBI have a DNA match to whom they believe is responsible for the assault and murder of Morgan Harrington after she was denied re-entry into a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones arena- which matches a composite sketch of an African American man also wanted for a sexual assault in 2005 in Fairfax, sources inside Harrington’s unsolved murder case have confirmed that they have been asked to look into any similarities.
This is a developing story, please check back to blinkoncrime.com as more details become available.
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Here’s a timeline in Alexis’ case:
Saturday, Aug 3, 5 pm: Randolph Allen Taylor visits Ultimate Bliss, an adult novelty store on the north side of Charlottesville and purchases two adult videos. He pays with a $100 bill.
Saturday, Aug 3, 7 pm: Alexis Murphy leaves her home in Shipman, VA presumably on her way to Lynchburg. She stops in Lovingston to get gas where she is recorded on the security camera entering the convenience store to pay the teller. The teller knows Alexis as a regular customer and remarks that she smiled, said “hi” and did not seem disturbed in any way. This is the last time she is seen. RAT is also recorded on the surveillance video around the same time as Alexis.
Monday, Aug 5, 10 am: A Charlottesville resident (Randy Walls) notices Alexis Murphy’s car at the Carmike movie theater in Albemarle Square Shopping Center on the north side of Charlottesville, 36 miles away from the gas station and less than a quarter of a mile from Alexis’ workplace, Kid to Kid consignment shop. Walls lives near the theater and the car strikes him as unusual “because normally there’s not a lot of cars.”
Tuesday, Aug 6, afternoon: Police obtain a search warrant for RAT’s home on Thomas Nelson Highway (US 29) in Nelson County.
Tuesday, Aug 6, evening: A tip leads investigators to Alexis’ car. It’s unclear whether Randy Walls provided this tip. That evening, a police K-9 traces a scent from the car to Arden Place Apartments, a complex that is adjacent to the movie theatre.
Wednesday, Aug 7: Judge Mosby signs off on a court order to seal all affidavits and search warrants pertaining to RAT and his home.
Sunday, Aug 11: RAT is arrested on an abduction by force or intimidation charge after a strand of Alexis Murphy’s hair is found in his camper.
Monday, Aug 12: Investigators use shovels in a search at RAT’s home and tow his GMC Suburban from his property. His camper is also confiscated.
FBI move their base of investigation from Nelson County to their Pantops/Charlottesville office. No explanation is given.
Thursday, Aug 15: FBI confirms that several cellphones have been recovered.
Sources:
http://www.wdbj7.com/news/local/arrest-made-in-alexis-murphy-case/-/20128466/21423172/-/10ry68e/-/index.html
http://www.nbc29.com/story/23072196/search-continues-for-missing-nelson-county-teen
http://www.newsadvance.com/news/local/article_7945f6ac-0365-11e3-9eb7-0019bb30f31a.html
http://www.wset.com/story/23128368/adult-video-store-says-randy-taylor-shopped-in-their-store-aug-3
I wonder if the camper was attached to the back of RAT’s GMC Suburban when he encountered Alexis at the Lovingston gas station?
joerose
From photo evidence, I agree with your assessment of the weight of Alexis. Normal weight of a person that height is about 135 lbs. I was trying to say that RAT would still have no problem even at the 20 additional lbs. that bp3 posted.
There are few female athletes that have the body strength of a man who works jobs requiring lifting, pulling and moving things.
Olivia
If you remember the early posting on the Morgan site, this very scene of a group of people or even a single person could be traveling along Rt. 29 to look for young women to victimize was discussed. We looked at all kinds of trades people,construction people and people connected with work associated with events such as the Metallica concert.
This time I have hope as the FBI are the lead in the investigation. While there are probably many quality LE personnel located in Virginia, there appears to be some major problems in certain areas within the state.
B- I know it is premature to know, but based upon profiling experience, do you think this guy could possibly have been responsible or have some sort of connection to the Metzler Childs double murder?
There are seriously so many unsolved murders in the state of Virginia in that area. It is all so fishy.
I do not Pep.
B
Hello friends. I have nothing much new to say but am as usual watching this site daily keeping my promise and vigilance for Morgan Harrington and all victims like her and their loved ones.
Thank you Blink and one and all. Peace out.
DDA — I think him doing something that would disable her car soon after she left the gas station, or that would at least cause smoke and cause her to pull over is very possible. He had a lot of car knowledge and we know she left the car unattended.
To add, wouldn’t surprise me if she even left it unattended while filling it. I have done that a few times myself though I know I shouldn’t, and I’m not an impatient teenager.
Dr. Pepper says:
August 17, 2013 at 8:59 pm
B- I know it is premature to know, but based upon profiling experience, do you think this guy could possibly have been responsible or have some sort of connection to the Metzler Childs double murder?
There are seriously so many unsolved murders in the state of Virginia in that area. It is all so fishy.
I do not Pep.
B
—ok gotcha. thanks
Yes Blink, I had actually been thinking we would hear from the ex-wife and son if the son is old enough to be interviewed. I have a feeling they might be afraid of him too, as someone posted earlier. Either that or if he is old enough, maybe the son is the lure for attracting young girls. These are all just my thoughts and opinion. No factual basis whatsoever. My prayers are with Alexis and her family. This must be horrible for them to go through.
A Texas Grandfather-
I knew what you meant by your post about the weight of Alexis and RAT. I appreciate your input and always enjoy reading your posts. Keep on keepin on!
I can’t help but wonder if part of the suspect’s story is true. Is it possible that Alexis did go to Randy’s house willingly, in her car and smoke weed or whatever, but was unknowingly drugged at that time. I don’t know anything about the various possible drugs but wonder if she could have been slipped something that would have hit her a little while later, allowing him to follow her from his home to a location far enough away to minimize suspision. Maybe she felt the effects and parked and that was when he grabbed her. That would allow him to do so without help (how do you get her car 40 some miles from your house without help from another person otherwise). I see there is a river close to where her car was found. Is that an area the police searched?
File this under: WARNING “no good deed goes unpunished.”
Details of the Vanessa Pham Murder:
http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2013-08-08/local/41178153_1_court-papers-pcp-fairfax-county-prosecutors
The article fails to state that Pham’s murderer was an illegal alien.
“But it was too late for 19-year-old college freshman Vanessa Pham. In July 2010, the bubbly art student’s decision to be a Good Samaritan to open-borders beneficiary Blanco-Garcia cost her life. After getting her nails done at a Fairfax Plaza salon, she encountered the illegal alien and his infant daughter in the parking lot. Blanco-Garcia was strung out on $400 worth of PCP.
According to prosecutors, he asked Pham to take him to the hospital. She let the man and his baby into her car. When Pham took a wrong turn, Blanco-Garcia turned on her — stabbing her more than a dozen times with a knife he was carrying. She veered into a ditch; he coldly wiped her blood off of his hands with a baby wipe and clambered out of the sunroof with the child.
Cops found the blade of the murder weapon, with the killer’s DNA, under Pham’s seat. But for nearly three years, her friends and family agonized as the DNA remained unidentified and the case unsolved. The investigative break? Illegal alien Blanco-Garcia continued his criminal havoc — surprise, surprise — and attempted to steal several bottles of champagne from a local grocery tore. He was convicted of larceny in April 2012. By December, law enforcement had tied his fingerprints to Pham’s murder. Blanco-Garcia’s trial begins next week.”
http://news.yahoo.com/illegal-alien-murderer-vanessa-pham-070000318.html
Just want to hurl.
B
Somehow, her car made it from Lovingston (south of Chalottesville) to the theater parking lot where it was found in north Charlottesville. Someone had to drive it there whether it was Alexis, RAT, or someone else.
Is it possible that he hid inside her car while she was paying for her gas in Lovingston? And then when she got back into her car he forced her to drive to another location?
Why the theatre parking lot? If she drove the car there was she forced to drive there? Was she lured there?
If RAT drove the car why leave it in such a public area where it would soon be found? What’s notable is that two hours before Alexis disappeared, RAT was in that same area of Charlottesville where her car was eventually found.
At 5 pm on that same day she went missing he was buying adult videos just 3 miles down the street from where her car was located. This area is not at all close to his home. What is his connection to that part of town?
And who lives in the nearby apartment where a k9 detected a scent related to her car? I’m unclear if the dog tracked her scent or the scent of someone else.
So many questions.
I think we are assuming he actually lives in that camper, I do not. You know the old saying you don’t chit where you sleep?
B
Dr. Pepper — metzler/childs really wasn’t in the same area. Blacksburg is over 2 hours hard drive away. Virginia is a very large state but doesn’t have an unusual number of unsolved murders, especially considering the number of out of staters and foreigners that pass through because of DC and the military presence. I believe it ranks about 29 or 30 on the per capita murder rate for the 50 states with about 4 murders per 100,000 people. Richmond used to be a pretty dangerous city in the 80s and early 90s but they seem to have that better under control now.
Regarding the Metzler Childs murder investigation I would just like to direct you to this…
http://blinkoncrime.com/2012/03/30/new-leads-brings-new-life-to-cold-case-the-murder-of-virginia-tech-students-heidi-childs-and-david-metzler/comment-page-1/
******
Note that Heidi’s cell phone was not recovered along with her camera. I know there is a nill of a chance that one of them could be hers with regards to FBI finding “several cell phones” in the search of Rats property.
When I think of his family I wonder about not only his son and son’s mother and her parents, but also HIS parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. If he is from the central Va region and is anything like the other lifelong locals, he has all kinds of kin in the area–unless he was orphaned or fostered. Perhaps I missed something–do we know where he grew up?
He was born in Fl, allegedly, that is about the only thing that I can confirm of record.
B
Just read a post elsewhere that 5 “busted” up cell phones were taken from RAT’s property..if that’s true why would you try to destroy your own old cell phones?
I was also curious re son. I was thinking he was very young for some reason. Do you know his age, B
Here’s my prayer: that Alexis is alive with RAT’s accomplice, and that they will be found.
RE: Her car being parked near Arden Apts (where her grandmother apparently lives). Perhaps she drove this way, parked, and she ran to “safety” (almost)…. and her scent was tracked from parking lot over to the Apartments next door.
Re: His camper. Apparently he wired electrecity from the dilapidated farm house to his “trailer”, where he lived. (Not sure if this is the same as the camper.
LE may have found a real treasure trove of evidence in that trailer. It is small and could be easily moved around to be used as a place for imprisonment of victims.
I am in hopes that this guy will have information that will solve several missing persons crimes along with identifying the perps associated with them.
I thought the picture I saw of RATs camo suburban showed a couple antennas on roof. What could they be or would they be just for show?
Ode- thanks for the link, I have read that thread and actually read it before I posted the question.
Redly-
When I said that it seemed like VA has a high rate of unsolved murders, I think it seems that way because I have read so much about the Colonial Parkway murders etc. I know he has been ruled out of the Alicia Showalter case but being so far removed from VA, I lump the Colonial Parkway Murders, Alicia’s and the Metzler Child murders together. I think there is an unusually high number of unsolved cases of murders in the woods. If that makes any sense.
I know (in my mind) that the Metzler Child case is unrelated to the Colonial Parkway Murders but I’ve had a conversation with someone with FBI ties and they mentioned the possibility of a network or more than one person up there connected to eachother.
I feel like I am rambling and making no sense.
Carry on.
: )
13- year old Sabrina Lynn Terry, visiting family friends in Staunton, VA has been missing since 3 am Sunday morning according to the girl’s mother, Mary Deavers, with whom she lives in Manassas, VA. This is being shared on Facebook, posted by Deavers, right now and I haven’t seen any other mention of it, thus no link. The girl has platinum blonde hair in the FB photo and appears quite mature as well; I was relatively shocked to discover her age.
I was reluctant to post this since this is Alexis’ thread, but thought it would behoove all of us to spread the word given that Staunton is not too far from where others have been disappearing…
Samantha Clarke and Lauren Susann Smith look very similar.
Alexis Murphy and Dashad Sage Smith look very similar.
Linked or not, there are at least two bad guys.
The POI for Dashad looks nothing like Sketch and is 21.
Morgan’s victimology would be totally different but could be just be opportunistic.
The “busted up” cell phones could be an attempt to hide evidence or harvesting precious metals from inside. The forensics would be easily determined.
Geographic profiling of victims cross referenced with his known addresses is going to be very interesting. He will be geographically linked to more.
Linking him will be difficult as he is apparently the Hide and Seek Rainman. Cell Tower pings, if retrievable, would lead to his dumping ground if he had a cell with him. Hoping…
I am guessing that traffic is pretty slim at the Lovingston convenience store at 7pm.
I know I am random but I am just kicking things around.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/state-confirms-arrest-resulting-from-familial-dna-search/article_65c19914-6b03-55b5-b686-73cbaf141ab5.html
I will admit I saw the link to this on another website but I thought I should post it here. Arrest has been made of someone thru familial DNA. They are not discussing what case it is related to.
Belsma says:
August 18, 2013 at 1:39 pm
Just read a post elsewhere that 5 “busted” up cell phones were taken from RAT’s property..if that’s true why would you try to destroy your own old cell phones?
************************
I take most of my pictures with my cell phone…
I haven’t posted in ages but wanted to share a few thoughts.
Alexis’s car (actually her dad’s car) was left in the parking lot of a local theatre. Police brought in K9′s and the dogs traced a scent to the apartment complex 20 yards away. Alexis’s grandmother and uncle live in that apartment complex.
http://www.wset.com/story/23076250/murphys-family-gives-abc-13-exclusive-details-in-her-disappearance
Now how do you suppose the abductor would know where her Grandmother and uncle (father’s mother and brother) lived? Another coincidence?
Abandoned car, found Tuesday after Alexis disappearance:
If Randy Taylor drove the car to the movie theatre parking lot, just 20 yards from Alexis’s grandmothers back yard, and the scent police tracked through the woods from the abandoned car, to the apt complex, led LE TO the apt complex…Is this Alexis’s scent? Randy’s scent? or both? Or neither?
Both Alexis and Randy Taylor’s son went to the same school. In 2011, Alexis posted on Randy Taylor Jr’s fb page, something to the affect of: I should get to know you.
Is this Randy Taylor Jr, the son of Randy Taylor Jr? And I am curious if he went to school with Samantha when RAT lived in Orange.
Not posting, but yes, I have been moderating that observation for days.
B
And why is dad posting flyers in Harrisonburg? What does Harrisonburg have to do with anything? Lynchburg, I could understand, that is where she was heading, but Harrisonburg?
http://www.wset.com/story/23076250/murphys-family-gives-abc-13-exclusive-details-in-her-disappearance
Blink,
What do you think RAT’s Daffy Duck tattoo signifies? (If anything)
PS- I am glad that you are not allergic to peanuts.
” He’s despicable”. No way to tell in context without really evaluating all his tats and timelines, sources, etc.
B
One more (sorry, too many thoughts). Saturday 7pm Alexis leaves home to go to Lynchburg to do some back to school shopping.
She just turned 17, it was Saturday night and she was going to drive 45 minutes away to go shopping at 7pm at night.
Does that seem unusual? That would get her in the “burg” with just enough time to rush through shopping and have to turn around and drive 45 minutes back.
@Gini
Of the coincidences in this case, the one I actually buy is where the car ended up. You have to see the area to understand but I have been to that theater and the neighboring gym many times and I had NO idea there were even apartments back behind there (admittedly I am oblivious at times to things like that). It is a large shopping center and the theater is down in the back tucked away (if you imagine an L shaped shopping center with an opening at the corner, you drive through that corner and past the large gym lot and then into the lot for the theater). There is really no obvious connection to the apartments if that makes any sense. They are not accessed through the shopping center to my knowledge but rather from a road farther up 29. I also think that her relatives don’t live in the Arden Place apartment complex (where the scent was traced to) but an older complex next to it (again I had no idea it was there). I also read somewhere locally that Alexis was very unfamiliar with that area of town and the location where her relatives lived. It certainly is a coincidence…but I guess that shopping center is as good as any other and it actually is one of the last large shopping centers heading north on 29 out of town. Also worth noting, the Carmike is not a big modern movie complex and isn’t going to have a crowded parking lot, especially on a Monday or Tuesday.
I personally just think it was placed there for the convenience of the person dropping it off.
B
http://www.wset.com/story/23175388/exclusive-source-tells-abc-13-he-found-tire-tracks-on-his-property-sheriffs-office-to-search-area
Should be easy to determine, I can already tell you he has 2 different brand tires on the truck, at least on the drivers side.
B
Exclusive Source Tells ABC 13 He Found Tire Tracks on His Property, Authorities Search Area
http://www.wset.com/story/23175388/exclusive-source-tells-abc-13-he-found-tire-tracks-on-his-property-authorities-to-search-area
http://www.wset.com/story/23175388/exclusive-source-tells-abc-13-he-found-tire-tracks-on-his-property-authorities-to-search-area
I saw a post on The Hook today where someone was wondering if RAT’s camper could have been parked in the RV lot the night Morgan disappeared. That sparked a memory and I can’t believe I still have the following post. The first paragraph is my post on BOC – don’t have any idea which thread or when – but the 2nd part is a very early post in the Cavalier Daily where a *camper* is specifically mentioned. May not be anything but I would not be exercising due diligence If I didn’t post it again here:
I’m gonna throw this out there in a pitiful attempt to contribute. In going back through old threads, I came across a Cavdaily comment that I found interesting. The guy mentions a “camper” belonging to the BIB. I don’t ever remember any description of the vehicle Morgan and the BIB were supposedly gathered around so I wondered if any of the people you guys are looking at own a camper? Was a camper the vehicle that was dropped off on the Midnight Ride to Jersey?
o
o Ben
o Nov 20, 2009, 16:34
o
o
Sean Cannon,
1) While it’s true that U-Va. basketball players saw her that night partying in the camper lot where her purse was found, they weren’t in her company and she was with 3 white males who were there with the camper.
http://www.cavalierdaily.com/2009/11/19/safety-first-2/
i personally believe the location of her car is a red herring, or for convenience. I believe Alexis is located in the opposite direction of where her car was found, within a 10 mile radius of Randy Taylors house/camper
It may be in regards to location of Alexis- but it is going to be critical to the relationship to the offender in some way. I am somewhat miffed that there are no witness interviews as to when the vehicle was first seen in the lot v it’s discovery.
B
Two things of note in the article today about the arrest based on familial DNA.
“Without specifying the type of crimes, Brad Jenkins, program manager of the department’s forensic biology section, said last week that there were several cases linked together by DNA that appeared to have been the work of the same unknown suspect.
“We conducted a familial search and came up with a possible relative … of the perpetrator. Police did their investigation and we did additional DNA (testing) and a person was arrested,” said Jenkins, who added that the trial is pending.”
And one of the requirements for a familial DNA search is that public safety REMAINS at risk.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/news/state-regional/state-confirms-arrest-resulting-from-familial-dna-search/article_65c19914-6b03-55b5-b686-73cbaf141ab5.html
Personally, I find it egregiously irresponsible to withhold this information when there is a pending trial. Do these people need a copy of the constitution or what? This is public information at this point.
B
Dda, what if I told you that back out of sight is a paved road that connects the theater to grandma’s apartment. One could easily drive a car back there unnoticed
In response to Memory of Gini and dda: Actually, there are multiple foot paths through the woods from the apartment complexes to the parking lots of the theater and the gym plus the shopping center. Many people who live in the area know about these paths–the connections between the residences and the shopping areas. I would bet that RAT knew of these paths, and I wonder whether he possibly lived in one of the apartments–and targeted Alexis through her family and her job nearby. In other words, what if he had seen her in both areas? IF he did not live in his camper…
I mean, what if he had seen her both in Charlottesville and in the Nelson area?
When I think about the explanation RAT gave for the strand of hair in his camper it reminds me of something I learned about people who lie.
The most effective liars are those that surround their lies with undeniably true statements. Its easier to disguise a lie within layers of truth. That’s why I believe that some of RAT statement could be accurate. Is it possible that two cars did indeed leave from his home (her car and a second vehicle) and that the occupants of the cars included alexis, RAT and a third person?
If her car was dropped off at the theatre parking lot, unless there was an accomplice with a second vehicle, the driver would have to find another method for returning home…walking, bus, call someone….or maybe his home is close to where the car was dropped?
There is no doubt for me that Randy Allen Taylor is a very smart man with a necessary interest in LE procedure and forensic evidence. The man allegedly abducts a girl after narrowly escaping prosecution in a different case, and absolutely believing he is the primary suspect regardless? I believe this was planned.
B
I thought he did not actually live in the camper, I thought there was an actual house on the property..
There is, but to my knowledge he did not live in the house, although I believe it was searched. He was hooked into the electric at the pole for whatever reason.
He has no shortage of haunts, and I am sure I don’t have to school anyone here on the possibilities of secondary transfer of Alexis’s hair. I believe they have more and there is the possibility of an accomplice (s)
B
The property owner who called authorities to report the tire tracks should be given a medal. It might be nothing, but if it is something he got them in there before they could be washed away. Excellent job man!
YES!
B
dda
In your post you gave a valid reason for why the car was found in that location. It would not be immediately visible.
One of the things that many people do is not pay attention to what is around them when they visit an unfamiliar place. They are concentrating on the place they want to shop. You are not alone in doing this. How I wish for parents to teach young people to be more aware of their surroundings.
In memory of Gini
Your post of the timing of the shopping trip is something that youth do not think about. Many girls and women (my wife of many years included) are not aware of the clock. They just don’t pay any attention to time nor do they think about the length of a drive to a location to shop or how much time will remain for shopping prior to closing time for the store. Alexis may be one who does that. We don’t know about her habits of doing things.
It is my understanding that Alexis was going to a specific store to purchase hair extentions for a salon appt over the weekend- but I have not been able to confirm this.
I do agree that when a teen is given that type of latitude, they will not care about amount of time on the road. I doubt she told she told her parents she was driving 45 mins each way for that, and likely said she was shopping and did not mention what time and the length of the trip. Not judging, but that is entirely too much freedom for a girl that age traveling alone, imo.
B