Todd Taylor, a 42-year-old African American male from Joliet, IL, was tragically killed on January 29, 2022. He was fatally shot four times in the upper body while sitting inside a parked vehicle on Oscar Avenue, near Gardner Street on Joliet's east side. The incident occurred outside the city limits, prompting the Will County Sheriff's Office to lead the investigation. Taylor resided in the 600 block of Elmwood Avenue in Joliet.
The investigation into Todd Taylor's death revealed a connection to a previous family tragedy. His 20-year-old son, also named Todd Taylor, was murdered on April 28, 2020. The younger Taylor, who lived in Rockdale, was gunned down in a driveway on Grant Avenue in Joliet. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. The Joliet Police Department arrested Dartavius Payton, a 24-year-old resident of Lockport, in connection with the younger Taylor's murder. Payton was charged with three counts of first-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon. His bail was set at $2.5 million, and he remains in custody awaiting trial.
The elder Todd Taylor's murder remains under investigation, with no arrests made as of yet. The authorities have not disclosed any suspects or motives related to his killing. The case has drawn significant attention due to the tragic pattern of violence affecting the Taylor family. The community continues to seek justice for both Todd Taylor Sr. and his son, hoping that the perpetrators will be brought to justice and that such senseless violence will be curbed in Joliet.
