TYLER, Texas — A Tyler man was sentenced to 45 years in prison Tuesday for killing a man and injuring another at a family birthday party in June 2022.
Larry Taylor, 41, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Tuesday in the 475th District Court in connection with a June 25, 2022 shooting that killed Jabraylon Franklin, 24, and injured Cameron Price, 25, according to judicial records.
Taylor was then sentenced to 45 years for each offense, but he will serve the sentences at the same time, records show.
Tyler police said the shooting happened in the 1700 block of N. Moore Ave., where they found Price and Franklin with gunshot injuries. Franklin later died and Price was in critical condition at the time.
According to the arrest affidavit, Taylor came to a celebration of life for his children's mother's birthday to pick up his kids. When one of Taylor's children didn't want to go with Taylor, Franklin's father intervened and told Taylor that the child could stay.
The affidavit states Taylor said that Franklin's father "ran up on him" in a threatening manner. He said he swung at Franklin's father, who then swung at Taylor, and people started holding Taylor back.
After that confrontation, Taylor said he went from his girlfriend’s house to meet up with an acquaintance, who he purchased a gun from, the affidavit stated.
Taylor came back to the party and seemed like he wanted to fight someone. Franklin walked down the driveway toward Taylor, telling him to leave. Taylor started shooting and Franklin fell to the ground, according to the document.
When Franklin approached him, Taylor said he shot him six or seven times and he was aiming for Franklin, the document read.
Police said Taylor seemed unaware that he had shot Price. According to the affidavit, Taylor shut down once he found out Price was shot, saying that he hopes he lives.
Taylor said several times to police, “I threw my whole life away," the affidavit stated.