Man accused of killing Charlotte mother, 2 children will not face death penalty

CHARLOTTE ( QUEEN CITY NEWS ) — The State announced on Thursday that it will not seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing a Charlotte mother and her two children.

On March 15, Markayla Johnson, 22, and her two young children, Miracle Johnson, 4, and Messiah Johnson, 7 months, were found dead at an apartment on Orchard Trace Lane in Charlotte after they were reported missing on March 3 .

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Markayla’s boyfriend, Benjamin Taylor, was captured hiding in a tent in California near the Mexico border on March 16 after a multi-agency manhunt.

Taylor is charged with three counts of first-degree murder and concealing/failing to report death. According to toxicology reports, both children had fentanyl in their systems, which is listed as what led to their deaths. 7-month-old Messiah also tested positive for cocaine and 4-ANPP, a chemical often used to illegally make fentanyl. Two drugs used to sedate, diphenhydramine and melatonin, were also found in the infant’s system.

Taylor’s case is due back in court on November 7 for an administrative hearing.

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