Authorities seek man in Bethany homicide case in which human remains were found

BETHANY — Investigators are seeking a man they believe is at the center of a two-year-old homicide case in which human remains were discovered in a backyard.

In June 2021, investigators discovered the remains of Clif Taylor, 43, in a shallow grave behind his dead mother’s house in the 6700 block of NW 31.

A month earlier, family had reported Taylor missing. His disappearance was unusual in and of itself, but compounded by the fact he missed the funeral of his recently deceased mother.

In an autopsy report, the state medical examiner’s office listed Taylor’s death as a homicide caused by multiple blunt force and sharp force injuries.

The medical examiner’s office reported Taylor suffered severe injuries to his head, face, torso and sternum.

In its report, the medical examiner’s office noted Taylor “was reportedly threatened and had a fight with another individual.”

In and near the shallow grave where Taylor was buried, investigators found a melted blue tarp, a burned sheet and a partially burned checkered comforter, which may have indicated his body was wrapped in the materials before being placed in the grave and burned.

It remains unknown if Taylor was alive while being burned.

Investigators also discovered numerous unburned wood chips, as well as concrete blocks, a plant pot and a paver on the edge of the grave. The paver appeared to have been used to secure corner portions of the checkered comforter, according to the medical examiner’s office.

Among other items found near the shallow grave were a Volcom shirt, a Bible and a wallet containing Taylor’s identification card. Also found were a box knife, pocketknife and a battery.

Taylor carried in his jeans pockets about $37 in cash, a laser keychain flashlight, a gaiter face covering and a vape.

Investigators reported finding near the shallow grave a single-edge knife with a partly serrated blade, and a black handle and a silver rivet.

Scattered bones were found nearby.

In previous interviews with The Oklahoman, those who knew Taylor described him as a loving brother and friendly neighbor who enjoyed alternative music and the arts.

According to court documents, investigators working to solve his homicide have pinpointed a suspect, Taylor's nephew.

The investigation of Clif Taylor's death

About 9:30 a.m. on June 7, 2021, a Bethany Police Department officer was dispatched to the NW 31 home in response to a call about human remains found in the backyard.

A man identified as a brother of Taylor told the lieutenant he believed the remains to be those of his sibling. When asked why, the man told the lieutenant it was because the man’s son, Joseph Taylor, had been talking recently about stabbing people, according to an affidavit of probable cause for arrest.

The man also told the lieutenant his brother stated he was afraid of Joseph Taylor, who is now 20 years old. The two fought frequently and the man said he often called police to intervene. The man also stated he started sleeping in his car because Joseph Taylor threatened to kill him and his mother in their sleep.

At one point, the man said, he woke up to see Joseph Taylor with a knife in his hand, threatening to kill him, according to the affidavit.

More: Human remains found in Bethany back yard

As the investigation unfolded, the lieutenant discovered numerous police reports about Joseph Taylor allegedly acting as the aggressor toward his family in physical altercations. In one report, Joseph Taylor admitted to striking Clif Taylor in the face about a month before Clif Taylor went missing, according to the affidavit for arrest.

On June 8, 2021, a day after Clif Taylor’s remains were found, the lieutenant attempted to interview Joseph Taylor at the Oklahoma County jail, where he was housed on a separate charge. Because there were no interview rooms available, the interview took place at police headquarters.

While the lieutenant waited for Taylor to be brought down for the interview, the lieutenant reviewed Taylor’s property, which was seized during the booking process on his separate charge.

His clothing contained blood on it, according to the affidavit. A key on a keyring was the same style of key used at London Square Apartments, where Clif Taylor lived. Also, a library card on the keyring belonged to Clif Taylor, according to the affidavit.

During the interview, the lieutenant did not mention Clif Taylor being dead.

Joseph Taylor initially denied building a fire in the backyard, but later admitted to doing so, saying it was “a long time ago,” according to the affidavit.

Joseph Taylor said his uncle, Clif Taylor, “has always had like a death wish . . . he is always suicidal, and he said one day when he gets drunk, he was like, he was going to light himself on fire and like stab himself,” according to the affidavit.

Joseph Taylor also described the crime scene and drew a picture of how Clif Taylor was going to “allegedly kill himself and lie down” in a pit. The drawing matched the scene and also showed the knife to be located outside the pit, where investigators discovered the weapon.

The lieutenant asked Joseph Taylor if he thought Clif Taylor was dead.

“Um, by now yeah,” Joseph Taylor is alleged to have said. “The way he was living … like drinking every day.”

Joseph Taylor, according to the affidavit, told the lieutenant that Clif Taylor once said he was going to drink a bottle at the pit and set himself on fire, and that Joseph would be blamed for it.

A family friend called the lieutenant and said Clif Taylor previously told him he was afraid of Joseph Taylor because his nephew was threatening “to stab everyone to death,” according to the affidavit.

Investigators serving a search warrant at Clif Taylor’s apartment about two miles from the crime scene uncovered a hospital bracelet belonging to Joseph Taylor. The bracelet was dated May 13, 2021.

Investigators believe Clif Taylor died on or around April 25, 2021, according to the affidavit.

More: Police: 14-year-old accidentally shoots 8-year-old sibling in Choctaw

More details on the death of Clif Taylor emerge

On June 12, 2021, the lieutenant spoke with a man who, a few weeks earlier, was mowing the lawn of the house where Clif Taylor was found dead.

The man said he was mowing around a tarp when he saw Joseph Taylor punching into his hands and twirling his arms as though he was preparing for a fistfight.

The man told the lieutenant that Joseph Taylor attacked him and punched him in the bar and living room area of the house, according to the affidavit.

In December 2021, the lieutenant reviewed Clif Taylor’s phone records and learned that his last phone call was around 5:16 a.m. on April 25, 2021. The call was to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services Adult Protective Services.

The call corresponded to a call for police service at the house on NW 31.

That morning, a responding officer reported that Clif Taylor appeared intoxicated and smelled of alcohol. Taylor wanted the officer to remove Joseph Taylor from the house. The officer eventually said Joseph Taylor could not be forced to leave the house, according to the affidavit.

The lieutenant also reviewed a recording of Clif Taylor’s phone call to adult protective services.

According to the affidavit, Taylor told an adult protective services employee that Joseph Taylor was an abuser and was “working himself up for another action.”

“He is worked up. He is trying to kill me,” Clif Taylor said.

He also said Joseph Taylor was listening to the phone call.

“He broke my ribs, he beat the (expletive) out of me,” Clif Taylor said about an alleged prior incident. “He can hear me. He can hear everything I am saying.”

According to the lieutenant, the following is how that phone call unfolded:

Clifton then starts saying, “Don’t come near me, don’t come near me.” Then it sounds like a physical altercation with Clifton Taylor stating “Joseph stop, stop, stop”  . . . “Joseph stop” . . . “Ouch. Ouch.” Clifton Taylor’s tone of voice sounds like he is pleading for Joseph Taylor to stop before it starts to sound as if he is whimpering before Clifton Taylor goes silent and the line is disconnected.

On March 27, 2022, the lieutenant interviewed Joseph Taylor’s father — Clif Taylor’s brother — about another case.

He told the lieutenant that Joseph Taylor said he knocked out Clif Taylor.

“He said that he killed him on accident and then panicked,” Joseph Taylor’s father said, according to the affidavit.

In the affidavit of probable cause for arrest, filed Wednesday in Oklahoma County District Court, the lieutenant wrote: “Based on my investigation, I believe the defendant to be guilty of murder in the first degree.”

Late afternoon Wednesday, a check of jail records in Bethany and Oklahoma County revealed that Joseph Taylor had not been booked into jail.

A phone message left with the investigating lieutenant in Bethany was not returned.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bethany authorities seek man in 2021 human remains case