What to Know
- Shomari Taylor went missing in Aug. 2006 after being abducted at gunpoint by a group of men posing as police officers.
- Taylor's body was recovered from a North Philadelphia lot this week and positively identified on Thursday, police said.
- Kenneth Tuck was tried twice in the kidnapping and eventually acquitted.
The body of a former Pennsylvania state representative's son has been found buried in a vacant Philadelphia lot 12 years after the man was abducted at gunpoint.
Earlier this week, Philadelphia police recovered the remains of Shomari Taylor at an undisclosed location in North Philadelphia. The body was positively identified on Thursday, Philadelphia Police Capt. Sekou Kinebrew said.
Taylor, who was 26 when he went missing, was the son of the late Democratic state legislator, John Myers, of Philadelphia. Myers died in 2015 after serving nine terms in the state House.
Authorities went searching for the remains after they received a new lead.
"There's cold cases where some of the leads begin to dry up, but there's never a case that's closed. So anything we get could reignite a case," Kinebrew said.
It was Aug. 26, 2006 when Tayor and his girlfriend were pulled out of a car at gunpoint at 76th Street and Woodbine Avenue in the city's Overbrook Park section. Prosecutors said the abductors were posing as police with flashing lights on their car and badges around their necks.
Taylor's mother and sister were also shot in a home invasion hours after the abduction. It was alleged that Taylor was dealing drugs.
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The girlfriend, Caren Murphy, was released the next day. She told police she heard Taylor pleading for his life before he went silent. One of the alleged abductors, Kenneth Tuck, was also identified by Murphy.
Tuck was tried twice in the case on kidnapping, robbery, conspiracy and gun charges. The first trial, in 2007, ended in a mistrial after the jury couldn't come to a verdict. He was acquitted after the second trial in 2008.
Tuck's attorney tried to discredit Murphy by bringing up her prior sexual relationship with the defendant. Defense witnesses also testified that Tuck was playing cards with them at the time of the abduction.
There is no statute of limitations on homicides so new charges can be filed in the case.
