Husband Who Went Viral for Leaving Romantic Note to Wife Now Suspected of Her Murder

A man who once went viral for leaving a heartwarming note to his wife on their bedroom mirror has now been accused of her murder. Timothy Murphy-Johnson, 40, gained internet fame in 2015 after his wife, Molly, shared a heartfelt list he wrote titled, “Reasons I love my wife.” The list included endearing phrases like “she’s my best friend” and “she never quits on herself or me.”

But just two years later, Molly died from an apparent overdose — a tragedy initially ruled a suicide. Now, friends and family suspect that her death may not have been what it seemed. According to The Times, Murphy-Johnson and his girlfriend, Olivia Ashford Henn, 21, abducted a 16-year-old girl in June 2023, holding her captive for six weeks.

Prosecutors revealed disturbing details about the teen’s ordeal, saying Murphy-Johnson tied her to a bed, cut her with a knife, and forced her to take drugs, all of which he reportedly filmed. After Murphy-Johnson received a life sentence, those close to Molly began to question the nature of her death, with eerie parallels between the allegations of his abuse toward the teen and his past behavior with Molly.

Friends and family of Molly have spoken out about the abuse she allegedly endured during her marriage. Despite the loving note Murphy-Johnson had once written, insiders say Molly often felt trapped and fearful, revealing that she endured physical and emotional abuse. She reportedly confided in friends, describing how her husband had assaulted her, forced her into prostitution, and once threatened to kill her with an overdose that would appear as a suicide.

One friend, Anna-Marie Anderson, told The Times, “I believe Tim either provided her with drugs or forced her to take them. She was brilliant, extremely educated on medication and drugs, and in my opinion, she would not go out that way.” According to messages found during the investigation, Molly had been planning to leave Murphy-Johnson but expressed deep fear of him, frequently sharing photos of her bruises with friends.

In one chilling message, she wrote, “He just offered me some drug that will kill me, so I can get it over with already… guess I’ll just make it easier for us both.” Molly’s father, Bob Gelman, recounted how his daughter had asked him twice to help her escape her relationship, but shortly after, Murphy-Johnson proposed, and she agreed.

Gelman shared that she had to buy her own engagement ring, which Murphy-Johnson kept after their marriage. After their move to Los Angeles, Molly reportedly had to leave her job due to the visible bruises on her body. During their relationship, explicit images of her surfaced online, where she was marketed as an “escort.”

In the months before her death, Molly filed a restraining order against Murphy-Johnson, alleging he “threatened to kill me (and make it look like a suicide).” She detailed physical abuse in her filing, including being kicked, punched, and having her belongings stolen to prevent her from escaping.

When Molly died in December 2017, her father learned of her passing not from Murphy-Johnson, but from her ex-boyfriend. Gelman insisted on an autopsy, but Murphy-Johnson later cremated her remains, keeping all of her ashes. Though Murphy-Johnson claimed Molly left a suicide note, no such note was found in the coroner’s report.

Moreover, the fentanyl in her system was far below what is typically associated with suicide cases. Despite the concerns of forced drug use, the coroner stated that issues of emotional abuse were beyond their evaluation scope. Meanwhile, Murphy-Johnson’s relatives dispute the allegations, calling them “baseless” and attributing Molly’s death to her struggles with fentanyl addiction and mental health issues. “To be frank, they both thought the other was trying to kill them.

It was chaos. It was a sad, toxic mess,” a relative shared anonymously, suggesting Molly’s death was not due to foul play but a tragic culmination of their troubled relationship. The relative added that any credible evidence should be directed to the authorities. As the case continues to raise more questions than answers, Molly’s friends and family are left seeking justice and closure, determined to uncover the truth behind her death.