On May 9, 2025 the Culpeper County Circuit Court sentenced Elmore Taylor, Jr., 24, of Culpeper to 20 years in prison for the charges of Malicious Wounding and Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. He pled guilty to both charges. Taylor, Jr. was sentenced to 20 years with 18 years suspended for the Malicious Wounding charge, and 3 years with no suspended time for the Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony. Taylor, Jr. was also convicted of violating his probation on an unrelated felony charge, and was sentenced to serve an additional 1 year and 3 months in prison.

As part of the plea deal, the additional charges of Shooting in a Public Place, Reckless Handling of a Firearm, Brandishing a Firearm, and Shooting Across a Roadway were nolle prosequi. Nolle prosequi amounts to a dismissal of charges by the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office with the option of revisiting the charges in the future.

On April 16, 2024 at approximately 9:03PM, Culpeper Police Department officers responded to the area of Vantage Place and Highview Court for multiple reports of a shooting. When they arrived, they located a juvenile suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot injury. Multiple eyewitnesses identified Taylor, Jr. as the suspect, but he had already fled the area. Culpeper Police Detectives obtained warrants of arrest for Taylor, Jr. When information was later obtained indicating that Taylor, Jr. had fled the Culpeper area, the Culpeper Police Department requested the assistance of the U.S. Marshal Service to locate him.

On July 24, 2024 the Newton County Sheriff’s Office (GA) took Taylor, Jr. into custody. He was subsequently extradited back to Virginia to stand trial. 

Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Maggie Cleary was in charge of the prosecution.

“This was a serious crime,” said Ms. Cleary. “A shooting took place out in the open, in the middle of a busy and crowded neighborhood. When Mr. Taylor, Jr. tried to flee, the Culpeper Police Department and their law enforcement partners made sure he was apprehended and extraditing back to Culpeper to stand trial. It was thanks to the detectives’ diligent and meticulous investigation and the efforts of the Culpeper Victim Witness Program that Mr. Taylor, Jr. chose a plea deal over a trial. Macy Fleischer of the Culpeper Victim Witness Program worked tirelessly with the prosecution team, maintained regular communication with the victim’s mother, and arranged numerous meetings with the many subpoenaed witnesses in this case. The end result of this collaboration and thorough pursuit of justice is that our streets will be safe from Mr. Taylor, Jr. for at least the next six years.”

“When someone decides to commit senseless acts of violence in our neighborhoods, we all take it personally,” said Chief Chris Settle. “I applaud our Criminal Investigations Division, especially lead detective Lieutenant Lonnie Myers, who worked extremely hard on this case. The detectives’ teamwork with our law enforcement partners was, and remains, extraordinary. I want to give a special thank you to our U.S. Marshal’s Service for their work bringing Mr. Taylor back to Virginia to face justice, and our Commonwealth’s Attorney Office for their prosecution efforts.”

To report a crime directly to law enforcement, call non-emergency at 540-727-7900 or email tips@culpeperva.gov. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can submit tips by calling Culpeper Crime Solvers at 540-727-0300 or submitting an online tip at culpeperpd.org.

Attached Photo (Provided by Newton County Sheriff’s Office): Elmore Taylor, Jr., 24, of Culpeper, VA

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Contact: Master Police Officer Julia Cole

Email: JCole@culpeperva.gov

Phone: 540-829-5525

May 21, 2025

JC-2025-11