Bio

John Albert Taylor was born in June 1959. He grew up in Florida. Taylor's childhood was troubled. He claimed that he was abused as a child and did not have a good relationship with his parents. He often talked about how he struggled with his stepfather, who was a Vietnam veteran. Taylor felt like he was mistreated at home, saying he was like a "whipping post."

When Taylor was a teenager, he got into serious trouble. At the age of 13, he stabbed his stepfather. He also had problems with sexual behavior. Reports show that he abused his sister Laurie and attacked other young girls. Because of this, his parents committed him to a sex offender program.

At 17, Taylor was diagnosed as a "remorseless pedophile." He faced legal issues throughout his teens and early adulthood. In 1977, he was charged with burglary and carrying a concealed weapon. He was convicted and spent time in prison until December 1981.

After his release, Taylor moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. There, he was arrested again for armed burglary, robbery, and sexual assault. Although he was acquitted of these charges in September 1982, he received a 15-year sentence for violating his parole. Following his time in prison, he was released in 1989 and moved to Utah to be with his family.

In Utah, he stayed with his sisters and biological father. His life continued to be marked by trouble and conflict. Taylor's early life and experiences likely shaped his future, and he eventually faced serious legal consequences for his actions.

Murder Story

On June 23, 1988, 11-year-old Charla Nicole King was found dead in her home in Washington Terrace, Utah. She had been raped and strangled with a telephone cord. Her mother, Sherron King, discovered her when she returned home from work that afternoon. Charla had been planning to celebrate her 12th birthday the next day.

Five days later, on June 28, 1988, police arrested John Albert Taylor at his half-sister's home in Ogden, Utah. Taylor was linked to the crime through his fingerprints found on a telephone in the King residence. He had recently moved to Utah from Florida and was staying at the same apartment complex where Charla lived. The police were tipped off by Taylor's sister, who provided information about his connection to the crime.

Taylor was charged with first-degree murder. His trial began on November 27, 1989. He chose to waive his right to a jury trial. During the proceedings, he testified that he entered the apartment while no one was home and claimed he left his fingerprints on the phone when he found money beneath it. However, witness testimony and forensic evidence contradicted his claims.

On December 5, 1989, Taylor was found guilty of murder and sexual assault. The judge stated that the evidence clearly outweighed any mitigating factors. On December 19, 1989, he was sentenced to death, making him the first person in 40 years to be sentenced to death by a Weber County court.

After several appeals, in October 1991, the Utah Supreme Court upheld Taylor's conviction. In 1995, he decided to stop fighting his appeal after his arguments were rejected. He chose to be executed by firing squad over lethal injection, stating he wanted to make a statement about the state of Utah sanctioning murder.

John Albert Taylor was executed on January 26, 1996, at 12:03 a.m. He was the last person in the United States to be executed by firing squad. Taylor had ordered pizza "with everything" as his last meal. When the execution took place, five sharpshooters aimed their rifles at a target on his chest and fired. He was pronounced dead four minutes later.

After the execution, Taylor's remains were cremated and sent to his uncle in Oregon. The cause of death on his death certificate was officially listed as homicide due to the execution being classified as "intentional death by another hand" under Utah law. Following Taylor's execution, legislative efforts began to eliminate the firing squad as a method of execution in Utah.