Suspect faces charges in two cases
Published 7:07 pm Thursday, March 7, 2013
A Clanton man indicted in February for murder and rape in two unrelated cases waived his arraignment for the murder case Thursday and was also served with indictment papers for the other case.
Marty Joe Taylor, 50, was arrested in October 2012 in Chilton County following a prolonged investigation conducted by multiple agencies into the 1998 death of 39-year-old Jennifer Gail Hampton of Clanton.
Hampton was found by a passing motorist off Hinkle Road in Clanton on Oct. 18, 1998. An autopsy concluded she was shot in the back of the head.
Hampton’s death was treated as a homicide and at the time was Clanton’s first since October 1994.
In the other case involving a different victim, Taylor was indicted and charged with one count of rape in the first degree.
This offense occurred in January 2001 and was discovered by agencies working on Taylor’s murder investigation.
“We received some additional evidence and we’re now able to prosecute the case,” said C.J. Robinson, chief deputy district attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit, which includes Chilton County.
Taylor was taken to the Chilton County Jail after waiving his arraignment and being served his indictment Thursday. Taylor had posted bond and was out Thursday afternoon.
Robinson said the two cases have the same plea date but would have to be tried separately.
Taylor’s plea date for both cases is April 10 with Circuit Court Judge Sibley Reynolds.