'My smiley girl': Edmond family reacts to arrest in 2016 homicide

EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) – An Edmond family said they felt blindsided after learning they knew a man police arrested in connection to the 2016 murder of their loved one.

Edmond Police said Joseph Beck confessed to strangling and murdering 19-year-old Jennifer Kyli Molloy, after he was questioned by a state trooper on the side of I-40 Thursday.

In 2016, Molloy was found dead in her apartment near E. Wayne Ave. in Edmond. Police followed multiple leads at the time and over the years, but no arrests had been made until Thursday.

An Edmond Police spokesperson said the department was notified Thursday a state trooper had made contact with Beck during a welfare check. Police said Beck then began freely confessing to the trooper about his involvement in Molloy's death.

News 4 spoke with Molloy's family Friday who described her as the most happiest person they had ever met. They said she was full of joy and always carried a smile.

"She was just a pretty, young, 19-year-old girl trying to live the best life," said Johnny Molloy, Kyli's dad.

Molloy described the news as shocking, and admitted he thought the case would likely never get solved despite praising regular updates from law enforcement over the years.

An affidavit obtained by News 4 goes into graphic detail of Beck's confession after he agreed to speak with Edmond detectives.

Court documents said Beck had known Kyli for years, which family members confirmed, and that the two were former co-workers.

Documents said Beck admitted that he invited himself over to Kyli's apartment the day of her death and that she allowed him to come inside.

Documents said Beck tried to make romantic advances with Kyli but she refused, before asking him to leave.

Beck admitted in the interview that he became violent and killed Kyli after she refused him, adding that he felt as if she "had wasted his time."

Court documents go into further explicit detail that News 4 is not sharing out of respect to the victim's family. Documents do state however, that Beck was able to corroborate many details of the case that are not known by the public.

News 4 asked Edmond police if Beck had ever been a suspect in the case.

"To my knowledge, he was not," said Edmond Police spokesperson Emily Ward.

The Molloy family told News 4 they felt blindsided when getting the call that Beck had been arrested for Kyli's murder Thursday.

"A complete blindside," said Molloy. "Everybody knows him. Everybody thinks he was the sweetest person and never would do anything to anybody."

Molloy noted that Beck had even tried to correspond with his other daughter months after Kyli's death.

"What kind of sick individual does that?" Molloy asked.

Molloy said nearly eight years without closure has been a heavy burden to carry, and that he hopes Beck feels guilty for what he's accused of taking away from his family.

"The good Lord works in mysterious ways, and he's haunted that man every day, and I hope he continues to," said Molloy. "This man has taken so much from my family and I'm glad he's in jail and I want justice to be served swift and strict."

The Molloy family said they're thankful for the support they've seen from the community in the years that have passed since Kyli's death.

Kyli's father told News 4 this news will allow them to grieve in ways they hadn't yet.

"I've not really been able to grieve," said Molloy. "I've been mad, I've been upset and depressed and of course I miss my daughter. I miss her, she was my smiley girl."

Beck is facing a first degree murder charge and is currently being held in the Oklahoma County Jail.