More details have been released regarding the arrests of 49-year-old Harvey John Taylor and 51-year-old Thomas Sanches in the murder of 49-year-old Kristy Taylor of Fulton County.
According to the affidavit for warrant of arrest, Arkansas State Police (ASP) Special Agent Justin Nowlin of the Arkansas State Police was contacted by Fulton County Authorities after the body of Kristy Taylor was found on the evening of July 9, 2022
Before being contacted, emergency personnel responded to the scene and identified Kristy, who had what appeared to be a single gunshot wound below her left eye.
Fulton County Authorities discovered a single .380 casing lying on the ground approximately three feet from where Kristy’s body was found.
The scene was secured, and Arkansas State Police were contacted to assist with the investigation.
It appeared to investigators; Kristy had been dead for several hours before her body was found.
In the residence’s living room, investigators observed the television was on but had been paused earlier that morning. Investigators also found Taylor’s cell phone and drink with ice still in the home near a recliner.
Kristy had filed for divorce in the month leading up to her death, however; authorities notified Harvey of Kristy’s death. Harvey stated he was in Texas but would head home early the following morning.
A non-custodial interview was conducted with Harvey, who stated he’d been at the residence the night of July 8 and stated he had traveled to his residence with a work associate who he named Sanchez.
Harvey told authorities he had attempted to contact Kristy on the day of her death but was unsuccessful.
He told authorities Sanches had agreed to purchase a vehicle from Kristy, which was partially the reason for the call. He further stated he had spoken with Kristy during the week prior about driving home with Sanches so he could purchase the vehicle and that on July 9, he called to inform Kristy he was going to pick up Sanches after work and head to her residence.
However, when Harvey and Sanches arrived on the evening on July 8, Kristy told both men she was unwilling to sell the vehicle because she had another potential buyer. Harvey alleged the men left and drove back to Texas the following morning.
Through the course of the investigation, authorities found text messages sent from Kristy late on the evening of July 8 indicating she anticipated seeing Harvey the following morning and not that evening as Harvey had claimed.
Sanches stated he had ridden to Arkansas with Harvey the evening of July 8, and when they arrived late that evening, Kristy had decided not to sell the vehicle so the two turned around and headed back to Texas that night.
Search warrants were obtained for the phones of Harvey and Sanches and showed the two men had turned off their phones the evening of July 8 when they made the trip to Kristy’s home.
The phones of both men remained off until the morning of July 9 when the two arrived in Texas.
ASP Special Agent Nowlin interviewed a witness who stated Harvey had solicited him to kill Kristy and her dog weeks prior to Taylor’s death.
The witness told authorities Harvey had offered him $5,000 to shoot Kristy in the head and kill her dog and that Harvey stated he would pay the witness when the money came in, and he wanted Kristy killed because he didn’t want to lose his things in the divorce.
Multiple witnesses were interviewed and stated Kristy was not planning to see her vehicle to anyone associated with Harvey and never expected him to arrive at her residence on the evening of July 8 to purchase a vehicle.
It was also discovered Harvey was involved with another woman in Texas and that Harvey blamed the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office for Kristy’s death.
In interviews with Sanches’ family, they stated Sanches denied ever going to Arkansas with Harvey and stated Harvey went home alone to Arkansas the weekend of Kristy’s death.
Both Harvey Taylor and Tommy Sanches face a charge of first-degree murder, a class Y felony. Their bonds have each been set at $1 million.
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
