Fox News Employee Joshua Cochran Found Dead in Neighbor's Closet in Alexandria, Police Say

A Fox News Media employee who was reported missing by his family has been found beaten to death inside a neighbor's closet in Alexandria, Virginia, police say.

Joshua Cochran, 44, was last seen on a Saturday evening. His relatives grew worried when his phone went straight to voicemail and his dog was left alone in his apartment. They asked for a welfare check, and when his car remained parked outside, police classified him as a critical missing person.

Using financial records and surveillance footage, detectives learned that Cochran had been drinking at Alexandria establishments with a 63-year-old neighbor, John Stremple III. They traced his movements to Stremple's apartment on Merton Court. Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire said that when detectives knocked, "the suspect gave an immediate confession."

Police then found Cochran's body in a closet. Authorities say he suffered serious blunt-force trauma to the head and that no firearm was involved. Stremple has been charged with second-degree murder and is being held without bond. He has not been convicted and is presumed innocent. A preliminary hearing is set for January 6, 2027.

Investigators have not announced a motive or described the relationship between the two men, and the case remains active.

Cochran's family said he worked as a video editor, and other reports described him as a digital librarian. Fox News Media said it was deeply saddened and called him a dedicated member of its team. He had moved to Alexandria to be closer to his 8-year-old son. His mother remembered him as smart and funny, with a "soft soul."

Please keep the Cochran family in your prayers. Alexandria police are asking anyone with information to contact investigators.