Man who heard voices will spend at least 8 1/2 years in prison for killing stepfather

Seven years before Javon Taylor stabbed his stepfather to death, he started to exhibit symptoms of mental illness.

He talked to himself out loud, believed the Little Mermaid was God and thought the walls in his apartment were wired so people could listen to him.

It became so bad, his former longtime girlfriend told the court, that instead of talking to him, she would write notes so Taylor wouldn’t become upset or more paranoid.

For years, Taylor was in and out of treatment, hospitalized four or five times, and prescribed medication. But he was never able to sustain it.

By the time Taylor killed Vincent Roebuck on Nov. 16, 2022, he’d been living in a car for five months.

That morning, Taylor’s brother, Devin, was in the family’s home on Southern Avenue on Mt. Washington when he heard the basement door open. Devin knew it was his brother, who the family had a restraining order against, and called 911.

But it was too late. Javon Taylor grabbed a knife and attacked Roebuck, 72, who was in a wheelchair in the living room.

Then he went after his brother, stabbing him in the chin, back and chest.

Roebuck died a short time later at UPMC Mercy. Devin Taylor survived.

Taken into custody almost immediately, Javon Taylor pleaded guilty in May to third-degree murder and aggravated assault.

On Thursday, Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jill E. Rangos ordered him to spend 8½ to 27 years in prison.

During the sentencing hearing, his longtime former girlfriend, Carole Johnson, told the court that she moved to New York City to live with her aunt around 2016, and Taylor joined them months later.

As his symptoms worsened and she became fearful for their children, he moved out of their apartment. He stayed in a men’s shelter, got a job and subsequently got an apartment in Newark, N.J.

But Taylor couldn’t maintain his treatment and medication, and lost his home. He was living on the streets before returning to Pittsburgh, where he’d grown up.

Dr. Matthew Lang, a psychiatrist who spoke to Taylor at Allegheny County Jail, said that when he first interviewed him in December 2022, he exhibited symptoms of depression and psychosis.

Taylor also had auditory hallucinations — he believed that he was speaking to God — and had disorganized thoughts.

Lang found that the defendant was not competent to stand trial.

Taylor was sent to Torrance State Hospital from March to July 2023, where he became compliant with his medication and treatment, Lang said.

Although Taylor continues to hear voices, he understood the charges against him and was able cooperate with his lawyers. His competency restored, Taylor pleaded guilty.

Johnson told the court that she and Taylor have five children together and that he remains her best friend. They speak daily from the jail, and he shares parenting advice with her.

The two began dating when they were 14. In the early years, she said, they struggled financially.

Johnson described him as a great father.

“They love their dad,” she said. “It’s nothing but fun for them. Being a big teddy bear. Nothing but love.”

Johnson said that when she talks to Taylor from the jail now, he is much calmer, a little bit slower.

“He seems a whole lot more healthier now,” she said.

But Lang told the court that Taylor’s prognosis is considered to be poor because, despite the medication he’s taking, he still hears voices.

Jeanne Marie Emhoff told the court that her client had a difficult childhood, marred by his mother’s addiction. Their family often went without heat, electricity and plumbing, and sometimes food.

“Mr. Taylor endured conditions no child should have to experience,” Emhoff said. “His mental illness is not an excuse for his behavior, but it’s the main reason we’re here today.”

Assistant District Attorney Margaret Potter told Rangos she had serious reservations whether Taylor could stay compliant with his medication.

“What happens to the defendant when he is released?” she asked.

Rangos acknowledged those concerns, saying she made Taylor’s maximum sentence longer to try to ensure he remains compliant with treatment.

“These cases are simply tragic,” she said. “No one can fault Javon Taylor for having an illness that could befall any one of us.”

Taylor spoke briefly to the court.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” he said. “And to my kids, I love you.”