Taylor McAllister Murder Case: Where Is Robert Butler Today?

Taylor McAllister Murder

When Taylor McAllister was discovered strangled to death in an alleyway in St. Petersburg, Florida, the cops hoped for a quick resolution. With time, however, mysteries began to envelop the investigation, threatening to bring it to a halt.

Still a Mystery: Death and Silence,’ a documentary on Investigation Discovery, explores Taylor’s murder and attempts to piece together the circumstances that led up to it. If this case piques your interest and you want to learn everything there is to know about it, we’ve got you covered.

How Did Taylor McAllister Die

Taylor McAllister: How Did She Die?

Taylor McAllister, a 22-year-old mother of two from Palm Harbor, Florida, was murdered in her home. Taylor, who was described as a kindhearted and lively person by friends and family, embraced motherhood and always tried to put her children first.

However, the episode revealed that she was suffering from heroin addiction and, as a result, would frequently disappear from the public eye, not communicating with her family for days at a time.

As a result, in the days preceding up to Taylor’s murder, they were not immediately alarmed.

Taylor was only wearing a shirt that was hiked up when the police discovered her dead on December 22, 2016, leaving her mostly naked. Her body was heavily damaged, and medical examiners discovered many incisions inside her mouth.

Furthermore, while medical specialists ruled out overdosing as a cause of death, an autopsy revealed that the victim was strangled and fought heroically against her attacker before succumbing.

Taylor’s death was ruled a homicide after authorities obtained foreign DNA samples from her fingernails and neck during their investigation.

Must Read: Unsolved Mystery of Eric Haider Murder: How Did He Die And Who Killed Him?
Robert Butler
Robert Butler

Who Killed Taylor McAllister And Why?

The initial investigation went on for days while the cops worked on compiling a list of suspects. To begin with, there were no eyewitnesses to the crime, and authorities had no idea where Taylor was killed.

They tried to piece together a timeline by speaking with friends and acquaintances, but the majority of them recounted how Taylor’s drug addiction caused her to lose touch with her friends for days at a time (as per the show).

Despite the fact that the victim was known to move around a lot, her most recent residence was in Palm Harbor, Florida, with Robert Butler III.

Robert Butler III was an interesting case because he was the heir to the Tampa-based company Bob’s Carpet & Flooring. However, he had an extensive criminal past and was not an easy person to get along with, according to the episode.

Taylor McAllister Murder case

In addition, the Investigation Discovery episode discussed how Robert preferred to isolate Taylor to her house and did not allow her to interact with many people outside of his social group.

According to reports, Robert discovered Taylor unwell and practically unconscious in their house on December 21, 2016. He quickly dialled a few buddies and requested that they transport Taylor to the hospital.

The victim was in pain by the time Robert’s companions arrived, but they managed to get her into the car and drive her to the hospital. Unfortunately, Taylor’s illness was too much for her, and she died before they could get medical treatment.

While Robert had initially hesitated to phone 911, he and his buddies became concerned when they learned Taylor was no longer breathing. Thus, after driving about for quite some time, they decided to place her body in an alley in St. Petersburg, Florida, before driving away.

According to the show, authorities discovered tyre tracks on Taylor’s knees that were reportedly caused by the vehicle the men were driving.

The DNA sample obtained under Taylor’s fingernails and around her neck turned out to be a positive match to Robert’s as the inquiry progressed. In addition, fresh scratches on Robert’s face were detected shortly after the murder.

However, because they lived together, officials stated that the DNA evidence could not be used as proof of murder. Despite this, Robert was arrested and charged with failure to report a death after failing to report Taylor’s death on time.

Robert Butler
Robert Butler

What Has Happened to Robert Butler?

The authorities decided to check into any possible connections Robert had with drugs or money laundering while probing Taylor’s death.

The investigation showed Robert’s involvement in a money-laundering scheme in which he purchased cocaine and marijuana for thousands of dollars.

Robert pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 40 months in jail in 2018 after being charged with the same crime (later reduced to 27 months, according to the show).

In the case of Taylor McAllister’s murder, however, he simply pleaded guilty to the charge of failure to notify a death, receiving a one-year sentence in county jail.

Robert was also charged with drug possession and being a criminal in possession of ammunition, according to reports, while Taylor’s parents launched a civil complaint against him for negligence.

Although there have been no reports on Robert’s present whereabouts, we may presume that he has been released from prison as his time has already been completed.

Taylor McAllister’s family, on the other hand, believes that the system has failed Taylor, and they refuse to give up their struggle for justice even though the murder has been classified as a cold case. No one has been charged with Taylor McAllister’s murder as of yet.

Recommended: Louis Gumpenberger Murder – How Did Pam Hupp Kill Him And Why?