Charges dropped in Fayette manslaughter case

FAYETTE, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Howard County prosecutor dropped charges against a man accused of killing a former Central Methodist University football player.

Defense attorney Ben Faber told ABC 17 News that prosecutors dismissed the manslaughter case against Kundarrius Taylor. Faber could not specify when Prosecutor Deborah Riekhof dropped the case, due to it becoming a sealed record.

Taylor had been charged with first-degree murder for the killing of Torrance Evans at their home on North Linn Street in August 2022. A probable cause statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol said that Taylor told investigators that he felt Evans had been disrespecting him. An argument between the two led to Taylor shooting Evans twice, according to the patrol.

Faber said he was convinced Taylor acted in self-defense when he shot Evans.

"We knew that Kundrarrius Taylor is not a bad guy, he's not a violent guy," Faber said. "He doesn't have any sort of history of doing anything like this. He's very well liked amongst the members of his football team. So, when we found out this had occurred and he was being charged with murder, we knew something was wrong."

Faber said he and his team interviewed multiple people in Fayette familiar with the situation to bolster the self-defense claim. Faber noted Evans was bigger than Taylor, and that the confrontation took place in Taylor's bedroom, where he said Taylor would have "an expectation of peacefulness."

"When someone Mr. Taylor's size ends up shooting Mr. Evans's size in their own bedroom, that kind of raises an eyebrow at first," Faber said.

Riekhof had lowered Taylor's charges in January from first-degree murder to involuntary manslaughter. Taylor had been out on a $250,000 bond since then.

Faber said Taylor will begin the process of putting his life back together now that the case is finished.

"It's a terrible situation," Faber said. "It's a tragedy for everyone involved, especially and including Mr. Evans and his family. But my client is doing everything that he can to live the life he's always meant to live."

Riekhof did not respond to a request for comment.