Milwaukee man charged, wanted in killing of 20-year-old Amaya Walls

CBS 58

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) — A 39-year-old Milwaukee man has been formally charged and is wanted in connection with the killing of 20-year-old Amaya Walls, who prosecutors say was shot hours after reporting a domestic violence incident involving the same man.

Timothy I. Taylor is charged with first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, two counts of felony bail jumping and misdemeanor battery with a domestic abuse modifier.

Milwaukee Police Department

Taylor is not in custody, according to Milwaukee police. Authorities are asking for the public's help locating him and say he should be considered armed and dangerous.

According to a criminal complaint, Milwaukee police were called to a home on North 42nd Street around 11:30 a.m. Oct. 8 for a domestic violence complaint involving Walls and Taylor.

Walls told officers she had been with Taylor in his vehicle around 11 a.m. when he became upset about a previous incident and began taking his frustration out on her verbally.

The complaint says the two eventually stopped at a gas station, where Taylor allegedly became increasingly upset and poured water and another drink on Walls.

After Walls got out of the vehicle, another person who had witnessed what was happening offered her a ride. Walls accepted and was driven to a residence on North 42nd Street.

Taylor allegedly arrived at the home a short time later asking for his phone. Walls gave it to him, and Taylor left before returning again, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors say Taylor then began violently hitting the home's main entrance while demanding, "Where's my money?"

Walls denied taking any money.

According to the complaint, Walls was standing on the front porch when she saw Taylor holding a glass pickle jar. Taylor allegedly threw the jar at her, striking her and causing pain.

While police were still at the home, Walls and Taylor spoke on the phone with the call on speaker, allowing officers to hear the conversation.

The complaint says Taylor threatened Walls, telling her, "I'm going to shoot the house up and shoot you."

Officers observed a small laceration on Walls' arm.

Police conducted a lethality assessment, during which Walls reported that Taylor had previously threatened to kill her, had choked her and either owned a firearm or had easy access to one, according to the complaint.

At the time, Taylor was already out on bail in another case involving Walls.

Court records show Taylor had previously been charged with felony false imprisonment, strangulation and intimidation of a victim, along with misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct.

As conditions of his bail in that case, Taylor had been ordered to have no contact with Walls and was prohibited from possessing a firearm.

Hours after the first police response, officers were called back to North 42nd Street for a shooting.

Around 2:50 p.m., multiple 911 callers reported that two women had been shot.

Walls had reportedly been shot in the chest and was described as having "shallow breathing." A second woman had been shot in the arm.

When officers arrived, they found the two women on the porch of another residence.

According to the complaint, the second victim was sitting on the porch with significant bleeding from her right arm. Walls was lying on her back near the bottom of the porch stairs and was unresponsive.

Officers applied a tourniquet to the injured woman's arm and began CPR on Walls.

Police also observed a bullet strike to the front door of the home.

A witness inside the residence told investigators he had been sleeping when gunshots woke him up. When he looked outside, he saw the injured woman screaming and a man, later identified by investigators as Taylor, attempting to hit her, according to the complaint.

Investigators also reviewed security camera footage that prosecutors say captured the shooting.

According to the complaint, the video showed Walls and the second victim walking together on the sidewalk when Taylor's vehicle approached at a high rate of speed.

Walls began moving backward in the opposite direction while looking toward the vehicle before running toward the porch and front door of a residence.

Prosecutors say Taylor got out of his vehicle and chased Walls on foot.

Walls can be heard on the video yelling, "Get away from me!" as Taylor approached, according to the complaint.

Taylor allegedly followed Walls onto the porch steps, extended his arm and pointed a handgun directly at her.

The complaint says Taylor fired once before the gun appeared to malfunction. Investigators allege Taylor cleared the weapon and then fired two additional rounds at Walls from close range.

Taylor then ran away from the porch and out of the camera's view in the direction of the second woman, according to the complaint.

Another gunshot can then be heard.

Taylor allegedly reappeared on camera and ran back to his vehicle before driving away at a high rate of speed.

The second victim could be heard calling for help before returning into view with blood covering her arm, according to the complaint.

Investigators later showed the surviving victim a photograph of Taylor. The complaint says she identified him as the person who shot both her and Walls.

Detectives also interviewed Taylor's mother, who told investigators Taylor and Walls had lived together and that the two "fought all the time and it was really bad," according to the complaint.

Taylor's mother also told detectives her son had called her after the shooting and told her he loved her before ending the conversation.

Walls died at the scene.

A preliminary autopsy found that Walls suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Milwaukee Police Department

Taylor remains wanted.

Milwaukee police are asking anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact the department. Police say Taylor should be considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached.

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