Amanda Blackburn shooter has other murder case in crime spree dismissed, witness missing
Charges in a 2015 homicide case on Indianapolis’ northwest side were dismissed Thursday, but the man accused in the killing remains in prison after he was convicted of killing Amanda Blackburn.
Larry Jo Taylor Jr., 26, was facing two counts of murder as well as a robbery resulting in serious bodily injury charge in connection with the death of Rolando Gonzalez-Hernandez.
In a separate case, Taylor was sentenced to 86 years in the Indiana Department of Correction in October for the murder of Blackburn and additional charges related to home burglaries.
Blackburn’s killing made national news and her memorial service drew a crowd of more than 2,000 people. The 28-year-old, who was pregnant, died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head on Nov. 10, 2015.
Previous coverage:Amanda Blackburn shooting: Larry Jo Taylor guilty of murder, sentenced to 86 years
She and her husband, a pastor, moved to Indianapolis from North Carolina two years before.
Indianapolis police later learned that Blackburn's death was part of a violent, eight-day crime spree, court documents say. Taylor was charged alongside co-defendants Diano Gordon and Jalen Watson, who police say were involved in a string of home invasions on the city’s north side in November 2015 in the spree.
Gordon and Watson reached plea agreements with prosecutors, which required them to cooperate in the prosecution of Taylor in the Blackburn case.
More:Amanda Blackburn's husband before judge hands defendant 30-years: 'I’ve chosen to forgive'
In November, Taylor was sentenced to 20 years in the Indiana Department of Correction when he pleaded guilty to a rape charge in a separate case.
Taylor raped a woman in Westlake Apartments on Nov. 3, 2015, after he and Jalen Watson burglarized her apartment, according to investigators.
Between the two cases, Taylor was sentenced to 106 years in the Indiana Department of Correction.
What happened to Rolando Gonzalez-Hernandez?
Gonzalez-Hernandez, 26, was found lying on the ground next to his Chevrolet Trailblazer in a parking lot of an apartment complex in the 4500 block of Candletree Circle around 8:30 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2015.
He was killed by a bullet to the head.
A probable cause affidavit, from when Taylor was charged in the man’s death, states Taylor told a witness he was going to commit robbery at the apartment complex.
The next day Taylor spoke about shooting a man after only getting $10 from his wallet, the witness told investigators.
Taylor later showed a news clip about Gonzalez-Hernandez's shooting to a different witness, who also said they heard Taylor talking about robbing someone at the apartment complex, according to the affidavit.
A third witness told police Taylor said he shot someone at the apartment complex. Cellphone records show that Taylor was in the area of La Joya Apartments during the shooting, the affidavit says.
Why were charges dismissed in the Rolando Gonzalez-Hernandez homicide case?
Charges were dismissed due to significant issues with evidence in the case, said Michael Leffler, a spokesperson for the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
“Namely the state is unable to locate an essential witness,” Leffler said via email. “It is important to note that charges can be refiled if circumstances change or if additional evidence emerges.”
Contact Jake Allen at jake.allen@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Charges against Larry Jo Taylor Jr. in 2015 killing dismissed
