Timothy Taylor has pleaded guilty to murdering his ex-wife, Tishawn Folkes-Taylor, while he was fleeing authorities for allegedly killing his current wife just days earlier.
According to the Schenectady County District Attorney, Taylor traveled from North Carolina to Schenectady, New York, in May 2023 and fatally stabbed Folkes-Taylor—his former spouse and mother of two of his children—inside her home on May 28.
At the time, Taylor was already wanted for the murder of his current wife in Brooklyn, where he had been living. That case remains open, and he still faces a separate murder indictment in connection with her death.
He was arrested in Philadelphia on June 2, 2023, and later extradited back to New York.
In a chilling confession, Taylor reportedly told detectives that after killing his then-current wife, he felt compelled to kill his ex-wife as well. “He said he harbored so much animosity toward her,” the DA’s office said. “In his words, she, unlike his first victim, deserved it.”
Taylor pleaded guilty this week and now faces 22 years to life in prison for the murder of Folkes-Taylor, who had been married to him for over a decade before their separation.
Despite knowing Taylor’s intent, prosecutors said Folkes-Taylor’s final actions were aimed at protecting her children. “She made sure to shield them before she was stabbed more than 22 times,” said District Attorney Robert M. Carney. “Mr. Taylor fled without harming the children.”
Carney praised the resilience of the victim’s family and children, noting that the oldest child, a high school student at the time, played a key role in helping prosecutors build their case.
Taylor remains in custody as he awaits trial in the second murder case.
