BALTIMORE — A Baltimore judge sentenced Keon Gray to 75 years in prison for his role in the shooting death of 7-year-old Taylor Hayes.
In August, Gray was found guilty of second degree murder in the death of the little girl.
Hayes was killed while riding in the back seat of a car traveling through the Edmondson Village neighborhood. The prosecution said Gray got into a roadside argument with a man in the car in which Hayes was riding. After the heated exchange, prosecutors said Gray parked his car and shot at that car as it drove down Lyndhurst Street. One 40-caliber round entered the car’s trunk and struck Hayes in the back. She died 2 weeks later.
Hayes' death galvanized a community , who came forth to grieve her death and celebrate her life. In August 2018, about a month after her death, Police charged Keon Gray of Southwest Baltimore with the crime.
Prosecutors wanted Gray to serve 165 years in prison.
Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosbay released a statement on the sentencing:
Keon Gray was sentenced today to 75 years in prison for his reckless and irresponsible crime when he took the life of the precious and innocent seven-year-old child, Taylor. For those who think they can take a life without any repercussions, let today serve as a reminder that we will be relentless in our efforts to effectively prosecute these cases and recommend the stiffest possible sentences, as we seek to ensure justice is served. I applaud the work of prosecutors, Charles Blomquist and Matt Pillion, as well as our partners at the Baltimore Police Department. Through this partnership and collaboration, we successfully removed a violent criminal from our streets. Together, we can eradicate violence from our city and achieve the progress that we seek and that our communities deserve.
