Amanda Blackburn murder suspects attacked a woman days before slaying, prosecutors say
The home invasion and murder of Amanda Blackburn drew national attention when it happened Nov. 10.
New court documents filed Friday show that the events at Blackburn's home mirror much of what happened at another victim's home just one week prior, with additional horrifying details of sexual assault against her.
Prosecutors say two of the men charged with Blackburn's murder — Larry Taylor, 18, and Jalen Watson, 21 — hit a Westside apartment about eight miles away, where they robbed and raped and argued over another woman. Taylor and Watson face new charges of burglary, theft and armed robbery, among others. Taylor also faces rape charges.
The victim told police she was alone and taking a shower when two men entered her home in Westlake Apartments sometime after 9 p.m. on Nov. 3.
Watson pointed a gun at the woman, ordered her out of the shower and instructed her to lay face down on the bedroom floor, according to court documents.
Watson was rifling through the apartment, prosecutors said, while Taylor held a gun to the woman's head and sexually assaulted her.
Watson returned to the bedroom several times, prosecutors said, and told Taylor to stop assaulting the woman. That's "not what we're here for, don't do that," Watson said, according to court documents. "Stop touching her." That narrative seemingly aligns with what court documents revealed about the crime spree that happened a week later, when Watson convinced Taylor not to kill a sleeping victim in one of the burglarized homes, according to court documents.
Here are the charging documents in the new case. Warning: The documents contain explicit material:
In the Nov. 3 case, tests found that Taylor's DNA matched samples found on the victim and her clothing, according to the documents.
The suspects demanded money and asked for the woman's bank cards, according to court documents. They forced her to enter passwords to unlock her mobile phone and computer.
Police think the men entered the apartment through a patio door. They took a mobile phone, purse, laptop, television, jewelry, headphones and the victim's car.
Minutes after assaulting and robbing the woman, Taylor and Watson went to an apartment near 56th Street and Georgetown Road where they sold the victim's laptop, purse and other items, prosecutors said.
The two people who bought the items handed them over to police Nov. 16, and picked Taylor and Watson out of a photo array, prosecutors said.
Police found the victim's car Nov. 15 at the Cross Creek Apartments, only a few blocks away from the location where prosecutors said Taylor and Watson sold the victim's belongings.
Taylor and Watson were charged last month with murder, robbery and other crimes in connection with Blackburn's death at her home in the 2800 block of Sunnyfield Court on the Northwestside. A third person — Diano Gordon, 24 — also was charged with burglary and theft in connection to a crime spree that preceded Blackburn's death.
Taylor is believed to have shot Blackburn.
Watson left Taylor in the home with Blackburn while he and another man used her bank card to withdraw money at an ATM, according to court documents.
Amanda Blackburn court documents: Charges for Larry Taylor and Jalen Watson
Blackburn, the wife of Resonate Church pastor Davey Blackburn, was found bleeding and partially nude but authorities have said they did not find any evidence that would support charging her alleged attackers with rape.
Taylor and Watson are awaiting trail and remained held in Marion County Jail. Both are scheduled to appear in Marion Superior Court for a pretrial hearing on Jan. 5.
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Call Star reporter Vic Ryckaert at (317) 444-2701. Follow him on Twitter: @vicryc.
