A Fox News Media employee reported missing by his family was found beaten to death inside a neighbor’s closet in Alexandria, Virginia, police said.
Joshua Cochran, 44, disappeared after he was last seen last Saturday evening, prompting concerned relatives to contact police when they could no longer reach him.
Cochran’s mother said she became particularly concerned after his phone went directly to voicemail and his dog remained alone inside his apartment.
His family requested a welfare check Monday, and officers entered Cochran’s apartment with assistance from maintenance personnel but did not locate him.
The family contacted authorities again Tuesday after noticing Cochran’s vehicle was still parked outside while he remained missing.
Police then classified Cochran as a critical missing person and began reconstructing his movements using financial records and surveillance footage.
Investigators determined Cochran had been drinking Saturday with 63-year-old neighbor John Stremple III at establishments in Alexandria before disappearing.
Detectives eventually traced Cochran’s movements to Stremple’s apartment in the 5800 block of Merton Court.
When investigators knocked on Stremple’s door, Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said the encounter immediately took an unexpected turn.
“When they opened that door, the suspect gave an immediate confession,” McGuire said while describing the detectives’ encounter with Stremple.
Police subsequently entered the apartment and discovered Cochran’s body hidden inside a closet.
Authorities said Cochran suffered serious blunt-force trauma to his head, although investigators have not publicly identified the object allegedly used to kill him.
Police said no firearm was involved in the killing and continue investigating what happened after the two men returned from drinking together.
Stremple was arrested and charged with second-degree murder before being booked into the Alexandria Detention Center on Wednesday.
He is being held without bond, and his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2027.
Authorities have not publicly identified a motive or explained precisely what relationship existed between Cochran and Stremple before the killing.
Police said the investigation remains active as detectives work to establish a more complete timeline and determine what led to the fatal encounter.
Stremple was already listed on Virginia’s sex-offender registry following a 2014 conviction involving sodomy against a minor, according to multiple reports.
Police have not suggested that Stremple’s previous conviction had any connection to Cochran’s death.
Cochran worked for Fox News Media, where his family said he was employed as a video editor.
Other reports described his position as a digital librarian, reflecting his work handling digital media for the organization.
Fox News Media issued a statement mourning Cochran and offering condolences to his relatives following confirmation of his death.
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of our colleague Joshua Cochran,” the company said in its statement.
Fox described Cochran as a dedicated member of its team who would be deeply missed by his colleagues.
Cochran had moved to Alexandria to be closer to his 8-year-old son, according to his family.
His relatives remembered him as an outgoing man who readily befriended strangers, making his apparent interaction with Stremple unsurprising to those who knew him.
His sister-in-law, Michelle Cochran, said family members initially imagined he might simply have befriended an older resident of the apartment complex.
Cochran’s mother described her son as smart, funny and possessing a “soft soul,” while saying the family remained stunned by his violent death.
Neighbors similarly expressed shock after learning that Cochran’s remains had allegedly been concealed inside an apartment only steps from where he lived.
One neighbor said he had previously shared beers with Stremple and described the murder allegation as difficult to reconcile with their ordinary interactions.
Police credited surveillance cameras and financial transaction records with providing the crucial trail that ultimately led detectives from Cochran’s disappearance to Stremple’s apartment.
The Alexandria Police Department is asking anyone with additional information about Cochran’s death to contact investigators as the homicide investigation continues.
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