50-year-old man, who “voluntarily confessed” to beating his 39-year-old wife he was married to for less than two weeks to death, was sentenced
Oklahoma – In a horrific case in Oklahoma that exposed the fatal consequences of domestic violence just days into a new marriage, a 50-year-old man, identified as C. Morland, has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the brutal killing of his 39-year-old wife, identified as C. Ritchie, less than two weeks after they “walked down the aisle.”
Following a unanimous guilty verdict by a jury, a judge formally handed down the sentence on Monday, ensuring that Morland will spend the rest of his life behind bars. The conviction stems from a disturbing series of events that began in mid-January 2024, ending with Ritchie’s body discovered in the trunk of her own vehicle, hidden beneath a pile of clothes.
Ritchie and Morland were officially married on January 7, 2024, but within days, family members grew concerned. Ritchie had last been seen alive on January 20, and after multiple failed attempts to contact her, they reported her missing. On January 25, police issued a “missing and endangered” alert, citing not only her disappearance but also a troubling history of domestic disturbances. Authorities pointed to prior incidents involving Ritchie and her husband, raising alarms about her safety.
The following day, police located Ritchie’s light blue vehicle, abandoned along a highway. The SUV showed extensive damage to the front bumper and hood, as well as off-road debris, suggesting it had veered off the road. Still, there was no sign of Ritchie until two days later, when officers obtained a search warrant and opened the vehicle’s trunk. Inside, they found her body, hidden under a pile of clothes. During the investigation, police quickly identified Morland as the last known person to have seen Ritchie alive. When they found him, he had a key to Ritchie’s vehicle on his person. His version of events, however, kept shifting.
Initially, Morland claimed that Ritchie had driven off to stay with a friend, leaving him behind. He alleged that he had to get a ride from someone else afterward. But when police tracked down that supposed friend, the person denied ever giving Morland a ride. A second witness, however, told police that they had given Morland a ride on January 24—and that he was standing near Ritchie’s vehicle, which had apparently gone off-road. This directly contradicted Morland’s timeline.
Faced with the mounting inconsistencies, Morland ultimately waived his Miranda rights and “voluntarily confessed” to beating his wife to death. According to court documents, he told investigators they had argued. He said that during the fight, he physically assaulted her, and when he returned to the car the next day, he found her dead. He then placed her body in the trunk and attempted to hide it beneath clothing.
The court was unflinching in its sentence. Jurors, disturbed by the facts, recommended life without parole, a recommendation the judge affirmed. Prosecutors emphasized that the attack was not a tragic accident but a violent assault that ended a woman’s life just days after what should have been a new beginning. As Morland now begins a life sentence in an Oklahoma prison, Ritchie’s family is left to mourn a daughter and friend taken too soon—and to grapple with the knowledge that her killer was the man she had only just promised to spend her life with.
