Derrance G. Taylor, a 34-year-old African American man, was shot and killed in Alton, Illinois, on May 14, 2017. Officers on foot patrol heard multiple gunshots at about 4:13 a.m. and found Taylor lying face down in the 900 block of Union Street; he was pronounced dead at the scene from a fatal gunshot wound.

The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis led the investigation with assistance from the Alton Police Department. Investigators charged 27-year-old Cameron D. Matlock with three counts of First Degree Murder, one count of Armed Robbery, and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon; bond was set at $1,000,000.00. A jury in Madison County found Matlock guilty of first-degree murder after a three-day trial and about three hours of deliberation, and he was sentenced to 80 years in prison on June 14, 2019; family members read victim impact statements at sentencing.

Taylor was remembered by his family as hardworking and positive, with a bright smile and a strong work ethic. If anyone has information about Taylor’s final hours or the events leading up to the shooting, please come forward.