John Lee Taylor sentenced to life in prison

A Shreveport man convicted in August for first-degree rape must spend his life in prison, a Caddo Parish judge ordered Wednesday, September 9, 2026. 

John Lee Taylor, 42, was sentenced to the mandatory life term by District Judge Donald E. Hathaway Jr. The term must be served without the benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence and requires lifetime registration as a sex offender. He was convicted in Judge Hathaway's court August 19, 2026.

On May 8, 2024, the female victim, under 10 years old, woke up to find Taylor, a distant relative, lying on top of her committing a sex act. The girl called out to her sister, who was sleeping in an adjacent bed. The sister saw Taylor trying to pull his pants up before fleeing the room. The sister then called her mother, as she was staying at her grandmother’s house, who told her to call 911, which she did. Police responded and the victim and her sister were taken to the Gingerbread House Children’s Advocacy Center where both were interviewed within hours. The victim was then taken to a local hospital where a rape kit was collected.  DNA testing confirmed that the defendant’s DNA was found in the victim.

Taylor was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Courtney N. Ray and Chase E. Burgess. He was defended by Harry Johnson and Silver Sanders.

The case was docket No. 401836.

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