[2][3] Murphy, a 17-year-old high school student of Nelson County, Virginia, disappeared after being seen at a gas station in Lovingston.

The remains were transported to the Central District Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Richmond and positively identified as Alexis Murphy on February 5, 2021.

The identification of the remains was not announced publicly until February 17, 2021, to allow Murphy's family time to grieve and make proper arrangements.

[11] As Taylor lived near a river, dive teams and canine units conducted a search and found a red sweater.

Judge Gamble issued a gag order to prevent law enforcement officials, lawyers and their employees from speaking publicly about the case.

[19] Taylor pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder, stating that while Murphy had been in his camper, she had arrived with another man, Damien Brown, in order to buy marijuana and that the two had left together.

[20] His lawyer, Michael Hallahan, argued that law enforcement did not fully investigate this claim and focused predominantly on Taylor despite Brown leaving the state shortly after Murphy disappeared.

[7] In October 2014, shortly after the remains of Hannah Graham were discovered, Taylor requested that authorities perform a DNA test on Jesse Matthew.

[30] Nelson County Commonwealth's Attorney Anthony Martin remarked there was nothing to tie the two cases together but ran the requested tests,[28] which ruled Matthew out as a suspect.