March 03, 2006|From Times Staff and Wire Reports - LA TIMES
Two teenage boys accused of killing a 38-year-old homeless man near Humboldt Bay were charged as adults with murder Thursday, prosecutors said.
Keyontae Lamar Taylor, 15, and Joaquin Fitzgerald, 16, appeared before Humboldt County Superior Court Judge John T. Feeney on Thursday, but their arraignment was postponed until Tuesday.
Authorities said Taylor and Fitzgerald encountered Tracy Daniel Reynolds along the railroad tracks, and the three drank some beer together before the teens left. They allegedly returned a short time later to rob Reynolds, first shooting him once in the leg, then once in the heart.
Taylor and Fitzgerald both face charges of murder, robbery, torture and animal cruelty, which was added because the two allegedly shot cows nearby as well, according to Assistant Dist. Atty. Wes Keat.
'Please don't kill me; God, don't kill me' - Times-Standard
www.times-standard.com/ci_4444881
Times‑Standard
Oct 5, 2006 - 'Please don't kill me; God, don't kill me'
Chris Durant/The Times-Standard
POSTED: 10/05/2006 04:30:02 AM PDT0 COMMENTS
UPDATED: 10/05/2006 04:30:03 AM PDT
Boy testifies against pal about deadly day
EUREKA -- The boy who was originally charged as an adult in the killing of Tracy Daniel Reynolds had his adult charges dropped Wednesday as he took the stand in the preliminary hearing of his one-time friend.
Keyontae Lamar Taylor was the only witness Wednesday, testifying against Joaquin Fitzgerald Jr. Both boys are now 16.
The two were originally arrested the same time, within days of Reynolds' body being discovered Feb. 24 on rocks along railroad tracks between the Elk River Slough rail bridge and the Humboldt Bay Power Plant.
Taylor's attorney, Glenn Brown, sat next to him on the witness stand as he answered questions from Deputy District Attorney Stacey Eads.
Taylor described when the two boys first came across Reynolds on the rocks.
”He was older, had a lot of facial hair,” Taylor said. “He was not so tall. Talkative. He just wanted someone to talk to. It seems like he'd been out there a while.”
The boys left Reynolds and continued to Fitzgerald's home in Fields Landing to get a .22-caliber rifle they planned on selling to someone.
Taylor said he met Fitzgerald's parents, who could see the rifle and also testified that Fitzgerald's mother joked about not shooting anyone with the gun.
On the way back to Eureka, along the same railroad tracks, the two boys loaded the gun and shot it numerous times, Taylor said, including shooting a cow.
Fitzgerald shot a cow eight to 10 times, dropping it. Taylor said he told Fitzgerald he had to go back and kill the cow to put it out of its misery.
”He went up, pulled the trigger, with the gun pointed in the cow's eye to kill the cow,” Taylor said.
To prove to his friends he killed the cow, he went back to it and cut off its ear, Taylor said.
Taylor said he also shot a cow from a distance but that the cow didn't move.
The boys came across Reynolds again, with Taylor sitting down asking him why he was still out there.
He said he put the rifle down and didn't see Fitzgerald grab it.
”Joaquin stepped in front of both of us with the rifle in his hand and shot into the water,” Taylor said. “He said (to Reynolds), give me everything you got in your pockets.”
Taylor tried to play it off as a joke, but Fitzgerald shot Reynolds in the shin, Taylor said.
”Joaquin kept asking him for the stuff,” Taylor said. “He (Reynolds) eventually pulled it out of his pockets and handed it to Joaquin,” Taylor said.
Fitzgerald then became mad at Reynolds for touching him and ordered him to put his hands up. Taylor said Reynolds grabbed the barrel of the gun and the two struggled with it.
”He (Reynolds) was repeating over and over, 'Please don't kill me, God, don't kill me,'” Taylor said.
The rifle went off and Reynolds grabbed his chest, rocking back and forth.
Neither Taylor nor Fitzgerald immediately spoke about what happened as they left the scene, but it was Fitzgerald who spoke about it first as they neared Eureka.
”He stated, 'That was two bodies on the gun for the day,'” Taylor said.
Over the course of the next few hours, Taylor learned Fitzgerald received a lighter, some cigarettes and about $2 from Reynolds.
At first, according to Taylor, Fitzgerald wanted him to keep quiet about the shooting.
”But he kind of bragged about it later on,” Taylor said.
Fitzgerald's attorney, Neal Sanders, asked Taylor about the condition of the rifle, which didn't have a trigger guard and was held together by a leather strap.
He also concentrated a lot of questions on how many times Taylor smoked marijuana before the killing.
Sanders is expected to continue questioning today.
◼ 'Please don't kill me; God, don't kill me' - Times-Standard
www.times-standard.com/ci_4444881
Times‑Standard
Oct 5, 2006 - Keyontae Lamar Taylor was the only witness Wednesday, testifying against Joaquin Fitzgerald Jr. Both boys are now 16. The two were ...
Criminal History Of Keyontae Lamar Taylor - Medford, OR
www.justmugshots.com › … › Medford › November 23, 2012
Keyontae Lamar Taylor was detained in Medford, Oregon on November 23rd, 2012. View the full details here.
Shasta County Mugshot http://california.arrests.org/Arrests/Keyontae_Taylor_8645819/
Full Name: Keyontae Lamar Taylor
Date:09/25/2012
Arresting Agency: RPD
Total Bond: $25000
◼ Man Crashes Car and Jumps Off Bridge - KOBI-TV NBC5/KOTI
kobi5.com/news/local-news/item/man-crashes-car-and-jumps-into...
A man who tried to escape police officers crashed a stolen vehicle he was driving and then jumped into the icy waters of the Rogue River....
Fallon Wallace was heading home when she saw a commotion on Rock Point Bridge in Gold Hill about midnight. "There were 6 state troopers and there were flares everywhere," she says.
Police say a man stole his ex-girlfriends 2003 Mitsubishi Gallant, wrecked it Thursday on the bridge. Witnesses report he then jumped into the the Rogue River in an attempt to escape.
"Everything was blocked," Wallace continues.
We now know the man's name: police have been searching for Keyontae Taylor since last week when the vehicle was reported stolen. After tracking Taylor for three miles with a dog, he is now in police custody.
"I just turned around and went into Gold Hill and came back," says Wallace. Despite a wait she's just glad she found a way home.
Taylor is charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, fourth degree assault, and harassment
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November 28, 2012 - Rogue River Press
www.rogueriverpress.com/archives/RRP11282012.pdf
Nov 28, 2012 - Keyontae Lamar Taylor was booked into the Jackson. County Jail after allegedly crashing his ex-girlfriend's car at Rock Point Bridge on.
Fugitive arrested after crashing into a bridge | MailTribune.com
www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/.../-1/...Mail Tribune
Nov 24, 2012 - Keyontae Lamar Taylor was taken into custody on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, first-degree criminal mischief, attempt to ...
Man on the run behind bars today - KTVL 10 Medford
www.ktvl.com/.../ktvl_man-run-behind-bars-today-3955.shtml?...
KTVL
Nov 23, 2012 - By Jessica De NovaKTVL.comGOLD HILL, Ore.-22-year-old Keyontae Lamar Taylor escaped the scene of a c.
