MAN CATFISHED HIS EX-WIFE’S BOYFRIEND INTO THE ARIZONA DESERT — THEN KILLED HIM AND BURNED HIS BODY

Cody Virgin, a 25-year-old Arizona corrections officer, thought he was heading out to meet a woman he had been talking to online. Instead, the planned date became a deadly trap. The woman, who used the name Paige Woods on Facebook, did not actually exist. Investigators discovered that the account was allegedly created by William Daniel Randolph, the ex-husband of Virgin’s girlfriend, Nataly Felix. Randolph later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Virgin disappeared on January 30, 2017, after driving into a remote desert area near Arizona City for what he believed was a meeting with Woods. The next day, Border Patrol agents discovered his abandoned red Dodge Dart. Investigators found tire tracks, footprints and other evidence nearby, but Virgin was nowhere to be found. His family soon learned about the planned date and began helping authorities piece together his final movements.

At first, investigators considered whether Felix might have been involved because of the complicated relationship between her and Virgin. However, police confirmed she had been at work when he disappeared and ruled her out as a suspect. Attention then shifted to Randolph, who admitted that he had been behind the fake Facebook profile. He told investigators he wanted to frighten Virgin by sending him to an isolated location, but denied responsibility for his disappearance.

The investigation took a major turn when detectives examined Randolph’s truck, phone records and other physical evidence. Investigators learned that he had changed the vehicle’s tires after the disappearance, and tire tracks at the scene were later linked to the truck. Authorities also found evidence connecting Randolph to the crime scene, including blood that matched Virgin’s DNA. His phone data placed him in the same area as Virgin before the victim’s phone went offline.

On February 4, 2017, searchers discovered Virgin’s burned remains in the desert. An autopsy determined that he had died from a shotgun wound to the back of the head. Investigators also found evidence suggesting the body had been burned in an attempt to destroy evidence. The case became a murder investigation, and Randolph was ultimately charged in connection with Virgin’s death.

Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty, but Randolph pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in June 2024. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Virgin’s family has spoken about the lasting pain of losing him and the frustration of waiting years for the case to reach a conclusion. His story is now featured in Oxygen’s Catfish Murders, which examines how online deception can lead to real-world violence.

Read more: https://www.oxygen.com/catfish-murders/crime-news/catfish-murders-william-randolph-killed-cody-virgin