In the quiet evening of March 23, 2019, a tragedy unfolded inside a home in Gary, Indiana, that would claim the lives of a mother and her young son. Temia Haywood, a 35-year-old woman, and her 13-year-old son, Lavell Edmond, were fatally shot in their residence in the 6800 block of East 3rd Avenue. The devastating events of that night left a lasting scar on their family and community.
The violence erupted after a knock at the door.
Haywood’s daughter, who was also in the house at the time, later recounted to police that she heard her mother on the phone shortly before hearing the knock. After a man’s unfamiliar voice was heard, gunshots rang out through the home. In a moment of terror, she heard her brother exclaim that their mother had been shot. Fearing for her own life, she escaped by jumping from a bedroom window and hiding until law enforcement arrived. When police entered the home, they discovered the bodies of Haywood and her son.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly pointed to Darren 'Duke' Taylor, who was 39 at the time. Surveillance footage from the home’s security system captured Taylor and another man entering and leaving the residence around the time of the murders. Taylor was identified from the video by Edmond's father, who was also Taylor's cousin. Further investigation revealed a troubled history between the families. Relatives informed police that Haywood had been involved in a long-term affair with Taylor's father and had been attempting to end the relationship. The situation had escalated to the point where a 'no trespassing' order had been issued against Taylor's father for Haywood's home.
Darren Taylor was arrested in Indianapolis and charged with four counts of murder and two counts of burglary in connection with the deaths of Temia Haywood and Lavell Edmond. His co-defendant, Nelson Gaines, later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of assisting a criminal. In August 2021, a jury found Taylor guilty on two counts of murder, two counts of murder in perpetration of a robbery, and two counts of robbery. He was subsequently sentenced to an aggregate of 150 years in prison.
