North Carolina investigators disclosed new details regarding the death of a North Carolina mother and her two children, who had been missing for nearly two weeks before police found their bodies.
Benjamin Joseph Taylor, 34, is facing three counts of murder and one count of concealment of death in connection with the deaths of Markayla Johnson, 22, and her children, 4-year-old Miracle Johnson, and 7-month-old Messiah Johnson.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, police found Taylor in Imperial County, California, Saturday night, not far from the border with Mexico.
The incident began on March 3 after relatives said Johnson stopped communicating with them, although the family’s last known sighting was on January 20 in Charlotte. According to a police affidavit, investigators obtained footage of Taylor leaving the area on a bus. They subsequently issued a missing persons alert on March 8.
On March 15, police obtained a search warrant for Johnson’s apartment. They found her body inside, “in a plastic container with cords around her,” Law&Crime reports.
“Detectives also located multiple used air fresheners and candles,” the affidavit states. “Multiple fans were turned on and the AC unit was turned down to approximately 62 degrees.”
The following day, while searching Johnson’s car, they found the children deceased in the truck, wrapped in plastic bags, Queen City News reports. Investigators said they found Miracle with diapers wrapped around her face and neck.
According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings, Taylor and Johnson were in a relationship but he was not the father of the children.
On April 8, a judge denied bond for Taylor. He remains behind bars in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
Check back for updates.
[Feature Photo: Markayla Johnson and her children, Miracle and Messiah/Handout]
