Man Arrested in Alexis Tiara Murphy Disappearance Once A Suspect in Another Missing Teen Case

Arrested Monday in connection with the recent disappearance of Virginia teen Alexis Tiara Murphy, Randolph Taylor was previously investigated in a 2010 disappearance — an investigation Taylor considered police harassment in an interview last year.


Murphy was last seen August 3 at the Liberty gas station on Rt. 29 in Lovingston, Va. Taylor, 48, of Lovingston, was arrested Monday.


Taylor has been a suspect in the still unsolved disappearance of Samantha Ann Clarke, an Orange County teen who was last seen on September 13, 2010. A report from Charlottesville's weekly The Hook included interviews with Taylor, as well as Clarke's mother, who had been suspicious of phone calls Taylor made to her daughter in the hours before her disappearance.


In an interview with The Hook, Taylor maintained his innocence and claimed police harassment in that case. 

Read the story: Living in the shadow: As Samantha Clarke's family mourns, a suspect claims police harassment

Clarke had allegedly met a new group of friends in the days before her disappearance, including Taylor. Once Clarke was considered missing, Taylor told The Hook that he was unfairly targeted as a suspect.

A judge later threw out charges related to a search of Taylor's car during a traffic stop. Taylor claimed police, tore through his car and placed a GPS tracking system underneath. Taylor also claims police planted a gun in his car. 

Clarke is still missing.

Taylor is now charged with abduction in the case of another girl gone missing along Rt. 29 in Virginia. Alexis Murphy was last seen Saturday, Aug. 3.  Her car was found in the parking lot of a Charlottesville movie theatre on Aug. 6.

"I know there is some speculation about whether this case is connected to other disappearances, abductions in the region," said FBI Richmond Special Agent in Charge Jeffrey C. Mazanec in a press conference Monday. "We continue to look at all possibilities."

Related Stories:

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• FBI Announces Press Conference in Case of Missing Teen Alexis Tiara Murphy
  

• Search for Missing 17-Year-Old Continues

• FBI, State Police Seek Missing Virginia Teen