In May 2015, Taylor Clark, a 19-year-old male college student from St. Jacob, Illinois, was attempting to sell his red 2007 Nissan 350ZX. He had listed the sports car on Craigslist to help pay for his education and received a response from an interested buyer. On May 4, after completing his final exams at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, he drove to a meeting spot at the M.T.C. Truck Center in Hazelwood, Missouri.
This location was the workplace of the man who had contacted him, but the transaction was a ruse designed to lure the student into a fatal trap.
Upon arrival, Clark was met by Michael Gordon, a 24-year-old employee of the trucking school. Instead of conducting a legitimate sale, Gordon shot the seller once, ending his life in the parking lot of the business. In an effort to conceal the crime, the assailant moved the victim's body to a nearby wooded area, burying him in a shallow grave approximately 400 yards away. Gordon also attempted to hide the stolen vehicle on the property and had previously purchased items such as bleach and a shovel, suggesting the act was premeditated to acquire the car he could not afford.
Law enforcement officials launched an investigation immediately after Clark's family reported him missing. Detectives were able to trace digital footprints, specifically email exchanges regarding the car listing, which led them directly to Gordon. A search of the truck driving school grounds on May 5 revealed both the hidden vehicle and the victim's remains. Gordon was arrested on May 7, 2015, after evidence, including surveillance video of him purchasing the cleanup supplies and the murder weapon, linked him to the killing.
During the legal proceedings, prosecutors detailed how Gordon had researched changing vehicle identification numbers, further proving his intent to steal the automobile. In October 2017, a St. Louis County jury found Michael Gordon guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Two months later, in December, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, ensuring he would face permanent incarceration for the violent ambush that claimed the life of the university student.
