Johnston County Jury Convicts Man In Shooting, High-Speed Chase

JOHNSTON COUNTY, N.C. — Following a week-long trial, a Johnston County jury on March 13 convicted 39-year-old Murad Terrall Taylor of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, felony fleeing to elude arrest in a motor vehicle, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

The State presented evidence that around 2:30 p.m. on September 5, 2025, Taylor followed a woman driving a Hyundai Elantra from the Holiday Inn Express in Garner to the intersection of Veterans Parkway and N.C. Highway 50. When the victim stopped at a red light, Taylor pulled alongside her and fired a 12-gauge pump shotgun through his open window into the passenger door.

Taylor then fled the scene in a black Nissan Rogue SUV. A civilian witness pursued him and provided a vehicle description and license plate number to 911 dispatch until advised to stop for safety reasons. Johnston County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded quickly and began searching for the suspect. When a deputy located Taylor’s vehicle, a high-speed chase ensued, with North Carolina State Highway Patrol troopers joining the pursuit as the vehicles traveled into Wake County on Interstate 40. Taylor reportedly reached speeds exceeding 100 mph before exiting onto Jones Sausage Road, continuing to flee until he lost control and crashed into another vehicle stopped at a red light. Taylor was taken into custody, and authorities recovered the firearm and a spent shell casing from his vehicle.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Mark Mayakis under District Attorney Jason Waller’s newly created Dangerous Offenders Task Force. The task force was established to efficiently prosecute defendants who pose significant threats to public safety. The DA’s Office collaborated with law enforcement agencies across multiple jurisdictions, utilized its investigator, and ensured Taylor remained in custody awaiting trial under an increased bond of over $1 million. The case was tried to a jury six months after the offense.

Johnston County Superior Court Judge Paul Holcombe presided over the trial and, on March 18, 2026, sentenced Taylor to consecutive active terms totaling 108–160 months (9–13.3 years).

ADA Mayakis praised the victim, the civilian who followed Taylor, and law enforcement officers for their roles in the case. “This case underscores how dangerous a job our law enforcement officers have. Their service, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment to protecting our community cannot be overstated,” he said. “A special thank you to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, the DA’s Office investigator, and the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. This kind of senseless violence has no place in our community, and under District Attorney Jason Waller’s Dangerous Offenders Task Force, these individuals will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law in Johnston County.”