Kloin Taylor was a 14-year-old male remembered by his family as a nice and positive young man who was always smiling and laughing. A student at Sikeston Junior High School in Missouri, Kloin played on the basketball team. His former coach, who organized a fundraiser for the family, recalled it was an honor and privilege to have coached him for a couple of years.
Kloin’s sister, Saniya Mcintyre, said he was always making people smile and have a great time.
On the evening of October 16, 2025, an altercation occurred between two groups of teenagers in Sikeston. During the dispute, someone fired three rounds into a vehicle. One of those rounds struck and killed Kloin. In the days that followed, his grieving family, friends, and community members gathered for a balloon release to honor his memory and bring awareness to the tragedy of gun violence.
An investigation into the shooting led authorities to a suspect who was 13 years old at the time of the incident. The case was initially handled within the juvenile justice system.
In early December 2025, a juvenile judge held a certification hearing to determine if the suspect should be tried as an adult. The judge certified him, a process that the Scott County Prosecuting Attorney explained is required under Missouri law for juveniles accused of very serious crimes, such as murder. Following the hearing, the suspect was publicly identified as Thomas Ray Harris, Jr., who was then 14 years old.
After careful deliberation, the prosecutor’s office charged Harris as an adult. As of December 2025, he was facing charges of murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and armed criminal action in adult court.
