Roommate death prompts charge against Oklahoma man CrimeDefendant said other man’s proposition led to their fight
BY JAY F. MARKS
Published: November 25, 2008
Saying no apparently was not enough for Darren Levi Hipp.
Hipp, 37, allegedly beat his roommate to death Nov. 15 after the other man propositioned him.
Darren Levi Hipp
Advertisement
Hipp was charged Monday with first-degree murder in Timothy John Murphy’s death.
Hipp told Oklahoma City police he fought with Murphy because he was offended by the man’s stated desire to perform oral sex on him, according to court papers.
At one point during the fight, Hipp hit Murphy, 45, in the face and body with a large pair of pliers, Detective Tyler Larson wrote in an affidavit. He continued hitting and kicking Murphy until the man lost consciousness.
Murphy was combative when Hipp and roommate Christopher Tillack revived him with water, so the two men hit him some more, the affidavit states.
Hipp forced Murphy out of the house at 717 1/2 SW 5 and into an alley, where police found his body later that day.
No charges were filed against Tillack.
