In a tragic turn of events stemming from an online marketplace transaction, Matthew Taylor, a 34-year-old White/Caucasian man from Horn Lake, Mississippi, was fatally shot in Memphis, Tennessee. The incident occurred on January 5, 2019, when Taylor arranged to sell a pair of tennis shoes through Facebook Marketplace. He agreed to meet the prospective buyer at the Arbor of Hickory Ridge Apartments located near Rideway Road and Knight Arnold Road.
Upon meeting, the supposed buyer, later identified as 19-year-old Montavious Farmer of Memphis, allegedly produced a firearm. Farmer is said to have demanded not only the sneakers but also a gun that was inside Taylor's vehicle. Before Taylor could react to the demands, Farmer opened fire, striking him multiple times. Matthew Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene, still in the driver's seat of his car. His girlfriend was also in the vehicle at the time of the shooting and witnessed the fatal encounter.
Three days after the deadly shooting, law enforcement officers apprehended Montavious Farmer. He was subsequently indicted by a grand jury on multiple charges, including first-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, and reckless endangerment. The case moved forward through the legal system, with Taylor's girlfriend providing crucial testimony identifying Farmer as the individual who shot and killed her boyfriend during the botched robbery.
