In a tragic turn of events on January 23, 2007, 30-year-old Christopher Moderow lost his life in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His death was not an accident but a brutal act of violence that cut his life short. On that fateful day, Moderow was in the company of Joshua Julius Anderson and his brother, seeking to find a local drug dealer. An argument erupted between Moderow and Anderson, escalating to a fatal point.
The confrontation took a deadly turn when Anderson, sensing a threat, pulled out a.
22-caliber revolver and shot Moderow. After the shooting, Anderson robbed Moderow of a mere $3. The callousness of the crime was further highlighted by the trivial amount for which a life was taken. Later that same day, Anderson would go on to kill another man, David Gilbert, reportedly as an act of revenge for an earlier altercation.
The investigation into Moderow's murder led authorities to Joshua Julius Anderson, a man already known to law enforcement for his violent tendencies and criminal history. Anderson's arrest was initially for a separate and heinous crime of first-degree rape in Muskogee County. However, astute investigators quickly connected him to a string of homicides that had plagued the Tulsa area, including the death of Christopher Moderow. At the time of his arrest, Anderson was responsible for a significant portion of the city's homicides that year.
Faced with mounting evidence and the testimony of his own brother, Anderson confessed to the murders. His confession included details that only the perpetrator could have known, solidifying the case against him. On December 8, 2008, Joshua Anderson pleaded guilty to the murders of Christopher Moderow and another victim, Evaristo Tovias Jr. For his violent crime spree, Anderson received multiple life sentences, ensuring he would no longer be a threat to the community. He is currently serving his time at the Joseph Harp Correctional Center in Oklahoma.
