Murder suspect accused of mutilating woman's body extradited to Delaware

The man accused of murdering and mutilating a Sussex County mother last month is now a prisoner in Delaware after Virginia authorities extradited him Thursday. 

Joseph Beck, 32, was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a person prohibited, and abuse of a corpse. He was sent to the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center on $2,062,000 cash-only bond.

State police say Beck shot and killed Tucker sometime between March 6 and March 8 before mutilating her corpse and dumping it on South Shell Bridge Road near Bethel on March 9. Tucker's body was missing pieces when state police found her.

Deputies in Stafford County, Virginia, arrested Beck around 3:30 a.m. on March 13 and charged him with driving while on drugs. He'd been in their custody since that arrest and was indicted while in Virginia for Tucker's murder on March 25, according to state police.

State police contacted Beck at his home in Laurel less than 12 hours before he was arrested in Virginia, according to a Virginia search warrant affidavit. Beck was in the process of moving out of his home when those troopers arrived, the affidavit said, and told them he was moving back to Bridgeville because Tucker's death had scared him.

Beck told state police Tucker had been with him at his home in Laurel until about 8 p.m. on March 8, but that he didn't know where she went after that, according to the affidavit.

Around 7 a.m. on March 9, state police found Tucker's body near Bethel. 

Timeline of Tia Tucker's murder

March 5-6: Tia Tucker's family members get texts from her which say she's left a motel she was staying at and now was staying with Joseph Beck and his wife, Allison Santee.

March 6-8: State police believe Beck killed Tucker sometime between these dates.

March 7: Tucker's family says no one had heard from her since this date. Seaford police arrest Beck around 11:30 a.m. for drug possession and release him around 3 p.m.

March 8: Beck and Santee claim Tucker was with them on this day until about 8 p.m.

March 9: Tucker's mutilated body is found on a roadside near Bethel around 7:30 a.m.

March 12: Detectives contact Tucker's family, who share texts about being with Beck. Detectives contact Beck and Santee at their mobile home in Laurel. Beck tells them he's moving back to Bridgeville.

March 13: Beck gets pulled over for speeding around 3:30 a.m. in Stafford County, Virginia. He's charged with DUI and jailed. He has been in custody in Virginia since. 

March 25: Beck is indicted for Tucker's murder and mutilation.

April 4: Beck is extricated to Delaware from Virginia.

Contact Adam Duvernay at (302) 319-1855 or aduvernay@delawareonline.com

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