Shaquan Jamar Taylor, an 18-year-old African American male, was found dead in his home in Kelford, North Carolina, on April 14, 2016. His body was discovered at approximately 2:50 p.m. by his roommate, who found him sitting in a chair, dead from a gunshot wound. The Bertie County Sheriff’s Office and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation immediately began investigating the case as a homicide. Sheriff John Holley confirmed that Taylor had been shot, but the official cause of death was pending an autopsy.
The investigation revealed that Taylor's death was not connected to another recent case in the area, where the decapitated body of Chowan County jail escapee Kelvin Singleton was discovered. Despite the physical closeness of the crimes, authorities stated that the two cases were unrelated.
In the weeks following Taylor's death, the Bertie County Sheriff’s Office and the SBI worked tirelessly to gather information and identify suspects. On May 20, 2016, Dominique Brimley, a 19-year-old African American male, was taken into custody. De’Andre Rascoe, also 19 and African American, turned himself in on May 21, 2016. Both men were charged with First Degree Murder, Felony Conspiracy, and Breaking and Entering in connection with Taylor's death. They were held in the Bertie/Martin Regional Jail without bond.
The third suspect, Devonte Holley, a 26-year-old African American male, was arrested in Connecticut on May 27, 2016. He was taken to the Hartford Community Correctional Center and awaited extradition back to North Carolina. Holley faced the same charges as Brimley and Rascoe.
The investigation into Taylor's death continued as authorities sought to gather more evidence and build a strong case against the suspects. Sheriff Holley praised the detectives for their dedication and hard work, which led to the arrests. The case remained ongoing as the suspects awaited trial.
