Hailey Wabbersen

Mrs. Seltzer

Journalism

March 11, 2020

Taylor McAllister Cold Case

A 22-years-old female, Taylor McAllister, was dumped in an alley off of 63^rd Avenue in St. Petersburg on December 22, 2016 after attending Robert Butler’s house party. She was found with nothing but a shirt on with what investigators believe were tire tracks on her legs. The autopsy ruled her death as a homicide by asphyxiation. The two men that were with her in her last moments, who also dumped her body in the street, were not charged with her murder. Robert Butler was driving while Taylor was barely conscious in the vehicle. Taylor never made it to her destination that night.

According to the father, Bill McAllister, “The only person’s DNA that was found on Taylor was Roberts Butler’s. On her neck, and under her nails. He had fresh scratches to his face”. According to Bay News 9, “Taylor lived with Butler therefore that DNA presence did not prove he killed her so the homicide was ruled as a cold case”. Nearly 2 years later, they reopened the case and began to hold the men that were with her in her last moments responsible.

On December 13, 2019, Robert Butler and Quran Archer pled guilty to the three counts of “failing to report a death”. There were no manslaughter charges, no murder charges or anything of the sort. Bill and Leslie McAllister said “It’s mind blowing how easy it is to get away with murder” and they’re “disgusted” by the lack of justice for their daughter. Although there is little evidence against Robert Butler, there wasn’t enough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt to a jury that he was a murder.

Cases like these are heartbreaking for the family and a huge shock to the community. Everyone in this situation should receive justice and to see someone walk away with only 3 years in jail. She and her family deserve better and there are enormous amounts of suspicion that Robert Butler and several accomplices played key roles in her murder but it wasn’t enough.