ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. – A 20-year-old Southfield man has been charged with murder after a teenage girl was found shot in the head on I-94 in Macomb County last week.
Nathaniel Taylor was arraigned on Friday, Oct. 21, on two charges in connection with the death of 17-year-old Taya Land, who is a mother.
The girl’s body was found on Oct. 14 on I-94 near 8 Mile Road in St. Clair Shores. She had suffered from three gunshots to the head fired from a 9 mm handgun, officials said.
Taylor was one of two individuals arrested in connection with Land’s death after Michigan State Police carried out two search warrants in Southfield. Taylor was kept in police custody pending charges, while the other unknown individual was released.
Taylor was arraigned Friday on one count of second-degree murder and one count of felony firearm.
During the arraignment hearing, Michigan State Police said they used cell phone data to link Taylor to Land’s murder. Police also said that Taylor picked the 17-year-old up before she was found dead, and estimate that she was shot around 3:45 a.m.
Taylor admitted to investigators that he fired three shots at Land. Prosecutors say Taylor and Land had a personal relationship, but the exact nature of their relationship was still not known.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office says they believe Taylor and Land met on an app. It is alleged the two got in an argument while in the car, and that Taylor pushed the girl out of his vehicle and shot her three times.
Taylor is being held on a $2 million bond, with no 10%, due to a believed threat to public safety. He is required to wear a GPS tether if released, and is expected to appear in court next on Oct. 28.
You can watch the Oct. 21 arraignment hearing below.