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Virginia Beach man pleads guilty to killing the mother of his child

Cornelius Courtney Beggs admitted to killing Lysa Story, the mother of his daughter, after Story gave him child custody paperwork.
Credit: Virginia Beach City Jail
Cornelius Beggs pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Lysa Story.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Cornelius Courtney Beggs told police his motives were "justified" but his actions were "wrong" when he admitted to killing the mother of his daughter.

Beggs pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Lysa Story. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison with 25 years suspended leaving him 15 to serve.

If the case had gone to trial, the Commonwealth's Attorney said their evidence would have proved that Beggs killed Story after she gave him custody paperwork.

According to court documents, Story gave Beggs the child custody paperwork on July 19, 2016. The two has a baby girl, and Story recently called off her engagement to Beggs.

Beggs wouldn't sign the paperwork and Story took her daughter to a friend's house to spend the night. Story went home with the baby the following day around 5:17 a.m.

A few minutes later, a neighbor who lived in the townhouse next door heard several thuds on the wall shared by the two homes. The neighbor said Story's house was usually quiet, and when she looked outside, she saw Story's care being driven from the house.

At 6:21 a.m. on July 20, 2016, Beggs took his daughter to his parents' home in Hampton and told his parents he needed them to watch her because there was an emergency. He then left.

Story's mother arrived at the townhouse around 6:50 a.m. because she babysat the baby while Story worked. She thought it was weird that both cars were gone.

She tried to call Story, but couldn't reach her. Story's mother found Story in the upstairs master bathroom covered in blood around 8:20 a.m.

She called 911, and Story was pronounced dead shortly after police arrived.

The victim had about 80 stab wounds.

Police found men's jeans covered in blood with Beggs' ID and credit card in the pocket in the master closet. The blood was later identified as Story's.

Police in Emery County, Utah stopped Beggs on July 25, 2016. When they arrested him for murder, Beggs told the trooper, "I did not mean to do it."

When he was being extradited to Virginia, Beggs told police he would take responsibility for what happened between him and Story. He also told police he gets stressed and angry when someone tries to take something, like his child, away from him.

"My motives were justified but my actions were wrong," Beggs told police.

A release said if the case had gone to trial, the defense would have presented Beggs' mental health issues as evidence.

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