According to information developed by the Grand Jury, Taylor was the "head guy" in a four-person conspiracy to rob Carrie Smith, then aged 76, in her own home. The other three participants of this fatal conspiracy included Smith's own grand-daughter, Rebecca Johnson; Johnson's cousin David Bechtold; and her friend, Rogel (Roger) Suero. Taylor, nicknamed Avon, worked at Suero's barbershop in Easton.
Bechtold confessed that he drove Suero and Taylor to Smith's home, and then drove them away. He was paid $1,000 for his role. Altogether, the robbery netted $42,000 plus bonds, jewelry, a safe deposit box and other paperwork. Taylor would later brag to Joyce Middleton, the mother of one of his children, that his take was $18,000.
Rebecca Johnson, who was at her grandmother's home when Suero and Taylor arrived, left and met her brother at a bar so that he would be away during the robbery. Suero and Taylor then proceeded into Smith's bedroom, where they woke her up by pushing a hard metal object in the back of her head and threatening to blow her head off if she did not open the safe. They put a pillow over her face, threatened to shoot her and ultimately put her in a rocking chair and told her not to move.
Smith suffered a heart attack as a result of the robbery and was hospitalized. Though released, she was readmitted to the hospital twice and passed away. Coroner Zachary Lysek ruled that the death was a homicide and that the cause of death was exacerbation of congestive heart failure due to acute myocardial infarction sustained during the armed robbery and assault.
Bechtold, who confessed to his role and cooperated, pleaded guilty to robbery and received a one to two year sentence, followed by five years of probation.
Johnson and Suero, who went to trail, are currently serving life sentences for felony murder and related charges. Johnson has now admitted her role and testified to the Grand Jury about Taylor. District Attorney John Morganelli speculates that Johnson may feel remorse for her grandmother or may simply be looking down the road
Taylor, who has previously faced minor charges in Lehigh County, was scheduled for a contempt hearing in April over court costs. But the matter was removed from the list.
Thus matter has been assigned to Assistant DA Patricia Mulqueen, who prosecuted the other three Defendants involved in this home invasion.
Details concerning Taylor are below.
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