Five men were charged this week with impersonating Philadelphia police officers in the 2006 kidnapping and killing of a 38-year-old man.
An indictment filed in the U.S. District Court in Eastern Pennsylvania claims that the men, pretending to be police officers with fake badges, police lights, and firearms, abducted Shamari Taylor and his then-21-year-old girlfriend from West Philadelphia with the intention of stealing cocaine and drug money.
Kenneth Tuck, 51; Atiba Wicker, 47; Linton Mathis, 50; Mark Scott, 48; and Kevin Holloway, 45, face charges in federal court for conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death, kidnapping resulting in death, and aiding and abetting.
According to CBS News Philadelphia, the couple was taken from their car in the Overbrook neighborhood of Philadelphia on Aug. 26, 2006, and transported to a warehouse. While the girlfriend was eventually released, Taylor, who is the son of a former state representative, remained missing. The day after Taylor's disappearance, his family's home in West Philadelphia was broken into, and his sister and mother were shot in the head. Fortunately, both survived the attack.
Authorities made a grim discovery almost 12 years later, on Aug. 21, 2018, finding Taylor's remains in a shallow grave in North Philadelphia, as per a Department of Justice news release. According to federal prosecutors, his case
Initially, Kenneth Tuck was arrested and charged in connection to Taylor's abduction back in September 2006 in Philadelphia County. However, despite two trials, he was ultimately acquitted of all accusations.
Various law enforcement agencies, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Pennsylvania State Parole, persisted with the investigation until charges were brought forward this week.
"Those who commit atrocious crimes and manage to evade justice for years might believe they have escaped consequences," stated U.S. Attorney Romero. "However, they should be prepared for a rude awakening. We, along with our law enforcement allies, will relentlessly pursue justice for victims of violence and hold the perpetrators accountable — regardless of the time it takes."
