On a Thursday morning in October 2013, a young man's life was tragically cut short on the east side of Detroit. Twenty-year-old Tyler 'T.J.' Taylor was on his way to work on October 17th when he was found shot on a sidewalk in the 12000 block of Duchess Street, near Kelly Road and Morang Drive. He had celebrated his twentieth birthday just a week prior to his untimely death.
At the time of the incident, details surrounding the circumstances of the shooting were scarce, and police had not
identified any suspects in the immediate aftermath. The lack of leads left a grieving family searching for answers and pleading with the public for any information that could bring his killer to justice. In an effort to generate new leads, Crime Stoppers of Michigan offered a cash reward of up to $2,500 for information that would lead to an arrest in the case.
Family members remembered Taylor as a young man who was actively working toward his future by preparing for his GED after attending Denby High School. He was also a caring individual who dedicated his personal time to looking after his younger brother and his elderly grandmother, both of whom had health complications. His family, devastated by their loss, made a public plea for closure and for anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it might seem, to come forward. The case, however, went cold, leaving the question of who was responsible for Taylor's death unanswered.
