Noah Beasley, a 19-year-old native of Cottonwood, Arizona, lost his life after marrying a 65-year-old retired woman, Gertrude “Jurdie” Harford.
His mother, Jenna Beasley, was found guilty of his demise and sentenced to 10 years in prison with the possibility of parole after 5 years.
Highlights
- A high school graduate, Noah Beasley had a kind heart to help others even when he struggled.
- His mother encouraged him to marry a 65-year-old, offering her a lifeline from her financial woes.
- Jenna secretly fed Noah prescription pills to improve his marital life, but accidentally, that cost her his own son’s life.
Marjorie Lane, an 82-year-old neighbor, discovered Noah lying motionless in the living room with empty prescription medications pill bottles. She couldn’t understand how quickly things had gone wrong and called 911.
Detective Marla Grunwald, known for her sharp instincts, wasted no time assessing the scene. She called the forensics team to dust for fingerprints and gather evidence.
Dr. Evelyn Ong confirmed his demise was from an overdose, but the amount was far beyond the recommended limit, which made it clear that it was no accident.
They noted the smell of perfume, which Jurdie was known for—a signature fragrance from an upscale brand.
Marla had a growing sense that this was more than just an overdose, and the evidence pointed to Foul Play.
Noah Beasley Was A 19-Year-Old Boy With A Kind Heart
Noah Beasly was a shy and quiet personality who always carried a guitar. He graduated from high school in May 2021.
Despite his quiet nature, he had a kind heart and would go out of his way to help others even when he struggled.
Noah was trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life while his classmates prepared for college and jobs.
He had a passion for music but had yet to decide to pursue it due to his family’s financial situation.
As a young man who had lost his way, his dreams of becoming a musician seemed further away.
Noah Beasley’s Mother, Jenna Beasley, Encouraged Him To Stay Married To Gertrude “Jurdie” Harford
Noah lived with his mother, Jenna Beasley, in a modest trailer on the outskirts of town.
Jenna was a single mother and struggled financially, especially after losing her job due to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic.
Their financial struggle weighed heavily on Noah, and he felt responsible for helping his mother, who was deeply in debt.
Later, Noah married Gertrude “Jurdie” Harford, a 65-year-old retired woman known for her extravagant lifestyle, who had been married several times before.
She insisted on a grand wedding at a luxury resort in nearby Sedona, which was extravagant and decorated with expensive materials.
His relationship with Jurdie was unusual because of their age differences. Many speculated his marriage was connected to his mother’s financial struggles.
His wife was demanding and controlling, throwing tantrums when things didn’t go her way.
Nonetheless, he told his mother about her behavior, but she encouraged him to stay in the marriage, which he felt was a trap.
He had stopped connecting with his friends and spent most of his time with his wife, Jurdie.
Authorities Doubted Noah’s Mother And Wife For His Demise
After the tragic demise of Noah, Marla and her young officer, Tom Jenkins, visited Jurdie’s home while she was sipping on a mimosa and flipping through the latest issue of Vogue.
When Marla asked about the tragic circumstances, she explained that she had gone to bed early the night before leaving her husband to play his computer games in the living room.
Jurdie was cooperative but distant, and her lack of emotion raised suspicions. She stated her husband had been struggling recently, and the pill bottles found at the scene were prescribed to help him cope.
Authorities found Jurdie was hiding something, but without any concrete evidence, they couldn’t hold her.
Later, they turned their attention to Jurdie’s ex-husband, Harry Hartford, a wealthy Real Estate Mogul. His relationship with Jurdie ended in a bitter divorce just a few months before she married Noah.
Harry admitted that he was angry about her marriage but denied any involvement in Noah’s demise.
Afterward, authorities questioned Noah’s mother, whose life had been a series of bad decisions. She sold prescription pills under the table, struggling with crushing debt.
Marla knew Jenna’s desperation to push Noah into his ill-fated marriage, offering her a lifeline from her financial woes.
She admitted that she had encouraged her son to marry Jurdie and claimed she had wanted the best for her son. However, she denied knowing anything about the massive amount of pills.
A Sad Turn In Noah Beasley’s Life
Authorities found a USB drive that contained Jurdie’s text messages with an unknown contact. She planned to divorce Noah, removing him from her will using Jenna’s illegal pills dealings as legal leverage.
The messages were filled with Jurdie’s frustration over Noah’s sullen attitude and uninspiring performance as a husband.
After analyzing the text message, Marla became clear that Noah’s mother was behind the plot.
Jenna had found her ticket out of financial ruin but was terrified that Noah’s lack of interest in an intimate relationship could crash it.
Thus, she was secretly feeding him prescription pills, but her plans went wrong when he accidentally overdosed.
Noah’s mother was responsible for his demise, and this revelation devasted the whole Beasley family.
Additional Information
- Jenna Beasley’s trial began in early December 2022, and the courtroom was packed with reporters from different outlets.
- She was sent to the Arizona State Prison Complex in Perryville, a high-security facility near Phoenix.
- Assistant District Attorney Mark Christensen found her to be a manipulative and desperate woman who had placed her own financial needs above the life of her son.
- Noah’s demise served as a reminder of the consequences of desperation and greed affecting everyone.
