A New York man has been sentenced for the brutal murder of his ex-wife, after initially planning to kill his current wife but changing his mind. Timothy Taylor, of Brooklyn, stabbed his former spouse, Tishawn Folkes-Taylor, to death in her Schenectady home in May 2023, in front of her three children. This heinous act came just two weeks after he had also stabbed his then-current wife, Theresa Gregg, in her New York City home.
During his sentencing, prosecutors revealed that Taylor had originally felt remorse after killing Gregg and decided that his ex-wife “deserved it more.” He harbored animosity towards Folkes-Taylor and believed she was the one who deserved to be murdered. Taylor, 38, now faces a separate murder indictment in Brooklyn for killing Gregg, who worked as a special officer for the city’s Department of Homeless Services.
After stabbing Gregg, Taylor traveled to Schenectady to carry out the murder of Folkes-Taylor. The 44-year-old victim heroically defended her children during the attack, ensuring their safety before Taylor fled the scene. Despite being stabbed over 22 times, Folkes-Taylor made sure that her children were unharmed by their father.
Following the attack, Taylor fled the scene, sneaking out of Folkes-Taylor’s bedroom window and disposing of his clothing as he made his way to downtown Schenectady. He then returned to his hotel, gathered his belongings, and boarded a bus. With the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service, Taylor was eventually arrested at a bar in Philadelphia by NYPD officers and extradited to New York to face the murder charges.
Folkes-Taylor leaves behind three children, two of whom were fathered by Taylor. The couple had been married for over a decade, with a history of domestic violence incidents. At the time of the murder, Taylor had three pending charges in Schenectady City Court related to the victim, Folkes-Taylor, which he had absconded on by relocating to Brooklyn.
As part of his plea deal, Taylor agreed to a sentence of 22 years to life. He is set to be sentenced on September 16 in Schenectady County Court. The tragic story of Tishawn Folkes-Taylor serves as a reminder of the devastating impact of domestic violence and the importance of seeking help in abusive relationships.
