Nathan Earl Taylor, a 31-year-old African American male from Kansas City, Missouri, died on September 15, 2017, following a shooting incident in Columbia, Missouri. The violent encounter occurred in the 1800 block of McKee Street, a residential area in the city. Taylor, who was also known as '3 Lil Nate' and was an aspiring rap artist with an album titled 'The Author,' was found suffering from gunshot wounds and was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
In the days
following the shooting, the Columbia Police Department launched a homicide investigation. On September 20, 2017, law enforcement officials announced the arrest of a suspect in connection with Taylor's death. The investigation revealed that the suspect had allegedly deleted text messages from their phone that were connected to the incidents leading up to the homicide, an action that police flagged as tampering with evidence.
During the initial legal proceedings, the individual arrested for the shooting claimed that the act was committed in self-defense. The suspect asserted that the use of lethal force was necessary for their protection during the altercation on McKee Street. Despite this claim, police proceeded with the arrest based on the evidence gathered at the scene and the subsequent digital forensic analysis which highlighted the deletion of communications. Taylor left behind a family, including children and his parents, Nathan Taylor Sr. and Lavelle White.
