Authorities search for man accused of killing family member, burying body in 2021
BETHANY, Okla. (KFOR) - After a man's remains were found buried in a shallow grave behind a Bethany home in June 2021, police now say the suspect is a member of the victim's family.
The decomposed body, later identified as 43-year-old Clifton "Clif" Taylor, was discovered in a shallow grave and covered in a tarp behind the home near NW 31st Street and Rockwell Avenue.
The family said Clif had been missing for six weeks before his body was found.
“All we can think about is how painful that must have been and we don’t know how he, how it happened or anything, it’s just, it’s awful,” Clif's sister-in-law, Holly Taylor said at the time of the discovery.
An autopsy revealed Clif suffered severe blunt force trauma to his head, face and body.
Now, two years later, police say one of Clif's family members is the suspect in his death.
“Our family would love some closure and love to know that we are safe from the person that took Cliff’s life,” Holly Taylor said in October 2021.
Authorities are now searching for 20-year-old Joseph Taylor, a relative of Clif who lived at the home where Clif's body was found.
Police say Joseph Taylor is currently a transient known to be in the Bethany and Spencer areas.
Officials warn not to approach Joseph, but call 911 if seen.
Holly told News 4 the day after Clif's body was found that the family suspected Joseph was responsible for his death, saying he struggled with mental health issues and they had to call authorities on him multiple times.
“We have called the police multiple times, because of Joey. I have pictures my husband just sent me of a time where Clif was beat up by Joey a matter of months ago and the police didn’t come out,” Holly Taylor said.
At the time, Bethany Police said they had received 17-21 calls to the home from January-June 2021.
“We responded to every call we got out there,” Lt. Angelo Orefice said.
Holly said she felt the system let them down.
“I feel like this could have been prevented,” Holly told KFOR in 2021. “We begged, we told them, we warned them that this person is violent and needs help, and now my brother-in-law's gone.”