ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria police say a missing man was found dead inside an apartment closet after a dayslong search that ended with an arrest and a murder charge. Investigators identified the victim as 44-year-old Joshua Cochran and said officers discovered his body after his family asked for welfare checks when he stopped answering calls.

Police said Cochran was last seen Saturday evening in the 1400 block of North Beauregard Street. On Wednesday, Alexandria Police Chief Tarrick McGuire confirmed that a man they identified as John Stremple, 63, was taken into custody after admitting to the killing, according to investigators.

Family alerts police after Cochran cannot be reached

The case began Monday, when Cochran’s family reported him missing and asked police to check on his welfare. Investigators said he had been out drinking before he disappeared, and that he was last seen in the Alexandria area on Saturday night.

By Tuesday, the family told police Cochran still had not responded and his car was still parked outside his apartment. That detail deepened concern for investigators and pushed the search forward as officers worked to identify who had been with him before he vanished.

Police later determined that Cochran had been drinking with Stremple. That identification became a key break in the case and led officers to Stremple’s home, where police say the investigation quickly changed course.

Investigators say Stremple confessed when officers arrived

According to Alexandria police, officers went to Stremple’s residence after connecting him to Cochran’s disappearance. Investigators said Stremple immediately confessed to killing Cochran when police contacted him.

Chief McGuire said the two men had been drinking at an Alexandria restaurant before visiting several other locations and buying more alcohol. McGuire said the night eventually ended back at an apartment, though police have not publicly said how the men knew each other.

The chief also said investigators have not yet explained what led to the death. Police have not released a motive or described any argument before the killing, leaving several parts of the timeline unresolved as the case moves through the criminal process.

Body found inside closet with severe head injury

After Stremple’s arrest, investigators said they were able to locate Cochran’s body inside a closet in the apartment. Police said he had suffered a severe blow to the head.

Authorities have not said exactly when the killing happened, and they have not released details about the apartment beyond confirming that the body was found there. The discovery closed the missing-person search but opened a homicide case that police say is now active.

The finding also added urgency to the investigation because Cochran’s disappearance had initially been treated as a welfare concern. What began as a family request for help turned into a fatal case involving a suspect who, according to police, admitted responsibility before detectives recovered the body.

Second-degree murder charge filed against 63-year-old suspect

Stremple now faces a charge of second-degree murder, police said. Authorities have not said whether additional charges are possible or when he is expected to appear in court.

Alexandria police have also not said whether they believe anyone else was involved. For now, investigators are focusing on the relationship between the two men and the sequence of events that took them from a restaurant outing to a fatal ending inside an apartment.

The case has drawn attention in the city because it began with a missing-person report and ended with a homicide arrest within a short span of time. Police have urged anyone with information to call 703-746-4444 as the investigation continues.