Rodney Taylor - 1993

Rodney Taylor - 1993

A 20-year old Coleman man visiting family and friends in San Angelo was shot to death late last Wednesday night during a confrontation with members of a well-known gang.  Rodney Taylor, a 1993 graduate of Coleman High School, was pronounced dead at 12:55 a.m. Thursday at Shannon Medical Center approximately two hours after he was shot in the back with a small caliber handgun at the corner of Van Buren and Rio Grande Streets in San Angelo.  A 19-year old Hispanic male, Ramon Armando Salazar, was arrested at approximately 7:45 p.m. Friday about one block from where the shooting took place.  Salazar is being held in custody in the Tom Greene County Jail on a $50,000 bond.  According to Detective Rusty Herndon of the San Angelo Police Department, the murder weapon has been recovered, processed and delivered to ballistics.  The S.A.P.D. is awaiting results.  Herndon said early Monday that the grand jury would review the case next month.

Officers conducting the early investigation reported Taylor was visiting family members with two classmate friends from Coleman and two other friends from San Angelo.  He stopped his pickup at the intersection of Guadalupe and Van Buren when two people yelled at him.  Taylor apparently said something back and got out of his pickup when the two Hispanic males walked toward him.  A fight ensued between Taylor and one of the gang members, both wrestling on the ground.  At that point, about 10 to 12 gang members ran to the scene from neighboring yard.  An individual, now believed to be Salazar, charged through the huddle and fired a single shot, striking Taylor in the back.  The gang fled at this point, leaving Taylors’ friends to summon help.  He was pronounced dead at 1:45 a.m. by Justice of the Peace Jerry Jennison.  The body was transported to the Bexar County Medical Examiner’s Office in San Antonio for an autopsy.

Funeral services were held Saturday at the Elm Street Church of Christ in one of the largest funerals remembered in Coleman.  Rodney was born in Fort Worth, the son of Ray and Bobbie Taylor.  He had lived in Coleman since the age of nine and attended schools here.  Rodney loved athletics and he excelled in football and track, lettering three years.  He was a unanimous All-District 7-3A pick on defense in his senior year at the nose guard position.  He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Bobbie and Rodney Jones of Coleman; his father and stepmother, Ray and Debbie Taylor of San Angelo.

Rodney Earl Taylor, age 20, of Coleman died Wednesday evening, August 3,1994 in San Angelo.  Services were held at 3 p.m. Saturday at Elm Street Church of Christ with Britt Farmer officiating.  Burial followed at Coleman Cemetery, under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.

Rodney Taylor was born May 10, 1974 in Fort Worth, Texas and grew up in Coleman.  He was a 1993 graduate of Coleman High School, where he played on the Coleman Bluecat football team as a linebacker and running back.  Also, he was on the track team and attended Tarleton where he played football.  Rodney was employed at Texas Fence Company in Coleman, and was a member of the Church of Christ.

He is survived by his mother and father, Bobbie and Rodney Jones of Coleman; his father, Ray Taylor of San Angelo; two sisters, Staci Hensley and Raeann Mills, both of Coleman; grandmothers, Gladys Taylor and Alice Jones, both of Coleman; one niece, Kaci Hensley of Coleman; and several aunts and uncles.

Pallbearers were Buddy Croft, Daniel Diaz, Jim Bob Edington, David Rosales, Monte Garner and Beau Brudney.  Honorary pallbearers included Howard Childress, Cody Parrott, Michael Martinez, Marty Baker; Heath Hemphill and Reeve Scott.  Memorials may be made to the Bluecat Booster Club, c/of Patricia Owens, Box 502, Coleman, Texas 76834.