On Wednesday, the jury found Mark Taylor guilty in the murder of a UK chef and they recommended he get 49 years.
The jury was handed the case at noon today and deliberated until about 4:09 p.m..
Mark Taylor is charged with Murder, Kidnapping and Tampering with Evidence in the death of Alex Johnson. Johnson’s body was found in a barrel in the Kentucky River.
During the trial, Taylor admitted to being in the care and helping clean up after Johnson died, but he said he tried to revive Johnson that night.
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Timothy Ballard, who had pleaded guilty to kidnapping Johnson and Tampering with Evidence told the court that he hit Johnson twice but didn’t kill him.
“What reason would Mark Taylor have to kill his best friend?” Defense Attorney Sandra Downs asked. “You heard how tight they were; everybody said how tight they were. They want you to think it was over a little bit of weed and maybe some money.”
“We know his explanation of what is happening in that parking lot. It is not a friend trying to save a friend, it is a friend killing a friend in the most brutal way and disposing of his body in the most horrible way,” said Prosecutor Lou Anna Red Corn.
The jury recommends Taylor get 49 years for the murder of Johnson. They recommend 22 years for Murder, 22 years for Kidnapping and five for Tampering with Physical Evidence, all to be served consecutively. Taylor’s formal sentence will be July 22nd.
