Norman Man Pleads Guilty In Girlfriend's Murder

A Norman, Oklahoma, man has pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend.

Travis Beadle, 21, waived his right to preliminary hearing and formal arraignment. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, Ellaina Pechacek.

7/13/2015 Related Story: Boyfriend Arrested For Murder In Missing OKC Woman Case

Beadle received a suspended life sentence, and will serve the first 40 years in prison with credit for time he had already served. When he’s released, he will be supervised by the Department of Corrections.

Police first began investigating on June 30, after the victim’s aunt contacted police to file a missing person’s report. Sharon McCleskey told police that she had not heard from her niece, Ellaina Pechacek, in a month. 

Officers said they found blood on the bedroom mattress, on the wall and on the surrounding furniture in the couple's northwest Oklahoma City apartment. Pechacek’s body was later found near Interstate 40 and Peebly Road in Oklahoma City. 

8/1/2015 Related Story: Body Found In Rural OKC Identified As Missing Woman

Pechacek's family released the following statement, 

"We, the family of Ellaina Marie Pechacek, would like to thank the OKC homicide department for their hard work and unfaltering diligence in the investigation, arrest & conviction of Travis Beadle.

We owe a great debt to the people who have come forward with information that proved helpful in aiding the investigation that led to an arrest & conviction. It would have been difficult, if not impossible to achieve closure in this devastating loss without the outstanding response of friends, neighbors and acquaintances who provided many sources of information, helpful suggestions and prayers of support.

Since we first reported her missing, we’ve been contacted by phone, text, email, social media of friends, acquaintances all trying to do the right thing in order to help find out what happened between the days Ellaina disappeared and the time Travis admitted to killing her.

There is simply no justifiable reason for a brutal act which robs a young person of their future. He didn’t just take a life. He robbed a family of every holiday, birthday & family milestone. She will be missed every day, every year for the rest of our lives.

As anyone who has family member that has been reported missing or killed in an act of senseless violence understands that there can be no real justice. Once a life is taken, it cannot be replaced.

He took a child, a sister, a grandchild, a niece, a friend, a co-worker, a classmate, a church member.  This was a family member, a member of the community, a member of the human race.  We are one less now, she can never be replaced. No length of prison sentence or fine or fee will restore what we’ve lost.

While we can never replace the hole left in our lives and in our hearts, we are all grateful to the Oklahoma City Police Department for bringing the guilty to justice and the families of central Oklahoma who have reached out to help us begin to heal."