Former Beauty Queen Stalked Her Mormon Crush For Years Before Justice Was Finally Served
On rare occasions, couples will meet in rom-com-worthy scenarios, connect on a physical level, and, by the third date, start talkin' baby names and wedding details. It's true — sometimes, romance just clicks. Joyce McKinney's 1970s romance started out that way... before everything changed. By the time McKinney found herself in police custody, the fascinated public didn't know who to believe: her, or the man who claimed to be her victim?
An unforgettable beauty
Joyce McKinney had a knack for putting on an unforgettable show. She wowed the judges while competing for the crown in the Miss Wyoming World beauty pageant in 1973. Though she was never very successful at beauty pageants, she was still drawn to the glitz, glamour, and fame brought on by the competitions. Naturally, McKinney sought an MFA in theater from Brigham Young University. She was determined to hone her acting skills.
A controversial relationship
And it was at BYU that Joyce first met 19-year-old Mormon Kirk Anderson. From this point forward, there are a few different versions of events that detail McKinney's descent into crime, but most people agree that Anderson — who was six years younger than McKinney — eventually struck up a controversial relationship with her.
Consumed by guilt
As one story goes, McKinney and Anderson carried on their love affair until Anderson's guilt about dating a non-Mormon got the best of him, resulting in their break up. Another story claims that it was Anderson's guilt over having premarital sex with McKinney that led to their separation.
The Mormon church
McKinney herself claimed that it wasn't until Anderson expressed his desire to marry her that the problems started. Though some people believe that McKinney was a member of the Mormon church, McKinney said otherwise, and claimed that it was her distance from religion that made Anderson pack his bags... and we mean that literally.
