In the spring of 2021, just a month shy of his high school graduation, 18-year-old Kelvin Rovon "K.J." Taylor, a Black male, was a promising student-athlete at Capital High School in Charleston, West Virginia. Known for his infectious smile and skills on both the basketball court and football field, he was looking forward to a future that included studying sports medicine in college. On the evening of April 7th, his life was tragically cut short.
While standing at the corner of Glenwood and Central Avenue on Charleston's West Side, a place he knew well, multiple shots were fired from a passing Ford F-150. Taylor was struck in the chest and, despite the quick arrival of first responders, he succumbed to his injuries.
The senseless act of violence sent shockwaves through the Charleston community, leaving his family, friends, and teammates grappling with an unimaginable loss. The Charleston Police Department immediately began an investigation, which proved to be challenging as the assailant had fled the scene quickly. Investigators turned to surveillance footage from the area and identified a suspicious vehicle, which eventually led them to a person of interest.
Through the collaborative efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Marshals Service, 19-year-old Dekotis Elijah Thomas was identified as the suspect. He was apprehended on July 8, 2021, in Akron, Ohio, where he had fled after the shooting. Thomas was indicted on a charge of first-degree murder for the death of K.J. Taylor. It was later revealed that Taylor was not the intended target of the shooting. The shots were meant for another individual who was standing near Taylor at the time of the incident.
In August 2022, just days before his trial was set to begin, Dekotis Thomas, then 20, entered a Kennedy plea to first-degree murder. This type of plea allowed him to accept the punishment for the crime without formally admitting guilt, acknowledging that the state had enough evidence for a conviction. As part of the plea agreement, a separate murder charge against Thomas from a 2019 case was dropped. In December 2022, a judge sentenced Thomas to life in prison without the possibility of parole. During the sentencing, K.J. Taylor's mother expressed the profound and enduring pain of losing her son, stating that Thomas had taken everything from their family. Thomas offered an apology to the family, claiming he never intended to harm K.J. and that he keeps them in his prayers. He is currently serving his life sentence at the Mount Olive Correctional Complex.
