The Unresolved Murder of Aaron Taylor: Merry F***ing Christmas
Dicking Around With Richie: A True Crime Feed, brought to you by The Sassy Gazette.
🎧 Shoutout to Crime Junkie
First off, I have to thank the folks over at Crime Junkie. Their episode about Aaron Taylor grabbed my attention and sent me down a whole rabbit hole. And major props to them for not using the phrase “Less Dead.” Because, newsflash nobody is less dead.
Christmas Day: Peace, Joy…and Murder?
The incident marked a brutal end to what should have been a day of peace and celebration. Christmas is supposed to be about joy, family, goodwill, and compassion. But instead, on December 25, 2007, Phoenix, Arizona, became the backdrop for unspeakable horror.
Aaron Taylor, a 36-year-old man experiencing homelessness, was found burning alive outside a Subway restaurant at 4326 East Cactus Road. The sheer brutality of the crime the burning alive of a man who already lived a hard life creates a powerful sense of shock and inhumanity.
This wasn’t just another cold case. This was a man’s life snatched away on Christmas Day. Merry F***ing Christmas.
17 Years of Silence and Enough is Enough!
Despite the passage of over 17 years, Aaron Taylor’s murder remains unsolved. The Phoenix Police Department has repeatedly said they know who did this. Yet the case is stuck, stalled by a lack of physical evidence and the refusal of witnesses to cooperate.
Police have said it plainly: “Multiple people know what happened.”
Let me say this loud for the folks in the back: Enough is enough! More than enough time has passed! Someone needs to speak up and tell the truth. Aaron deserves JUSTICE.
Knowing Isn’t Proving
Here’s the maddening thing. Suspicion, even if it’s rock solid, is useless in court without evidence or testimony. The cops “knowing” means they probably have names, stories, maybe even motives but they can’t convert that knowledge into charges without witnesses stepping up or hard evidence linking these monsters to the crime.
Who Was Aaron Taylor?
Aaron was 36. He was homeless but he was also a human being. He was vulnerable, like so many people living on the streets, targeted precisely because he was an easy mark. People who experience homelessness are “more exposed, have often been traumatized, and may experience ongoing health and mental health problems but may have weak connections to people, places, and institutions that could otherwise provide support and protection.”
It makes me sick to think about people choosing to make life even harder for someone who’s already struggling. Grow up. Find a hobby. Stop all the damn bullying!
A Friendship or a Trap?
Investigations showed Aaron was hanging out with a group of guys he may have known. So this wasn’t some random mugging or spontaneous act of violence. These were people in his orbit.
And here’s where it gets absolutely monstrous. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless and the Phoenix New Times, Aaron was found “burning with a concrete bench attached to his back.” He might have been duct-taped to it, leaving him helpless while flames consumed him. Think about that level of deliberate torture.
This wasn’t an impulsive act. It was a calculated, sadistic attack designed to cause maximum suffering. With FRIENDS like that, who needs enemies?!
The Suspects Still Walking Free
Early reports identified three alleged suspects, aged 17, 20, and 24. These guys were reportedly the same ones who harassed Aaron in the weeks before his murder duct-taping him to benches, pushing him into fountains, flicking matches onto his beard.
Police knew about them as far back as early 2008. Witnesses even saw guys matching their description drinking with Aaron shortly before the murder.
But thanks to the fire, rescue efforts, and dumb luck for the killers, there’s practically no physical evidence. So despite police knowing who’s responsible, nobody’s been charged. And those men now in their 30s and 40s are still out there, living their lives. And still capable of hurting others.
Dehumanization and “Subhuman” Targets
Dehumanization is at the root of this. Society talks so much shit about homeless people, addicts, sex workers, the undocumented you name it. Young people absorb these attitudes. And sociopaths, looking for victims, know it’s safer to target people labeled as “subhuman.” Even teenagers who aren’t sociopaths can get swept up in group insanity.
Aaron’s story is exactly why we need compassion, mental health services, addiction support, and public education. He wasn’t “just a homeless man.” He was someone’s son, someone who picked up litter and shared food even when he had almost nothing.
Cold Case Fatigue and the Moral Burden
Cold cases like Aaron’s erode trust in the justice system. Vulnerable communities already feel unprotected. And when people stay silent, it’s like the killers win twice.
The cops keep repeating that “multiple people know what happened.” That’s not just a statement. It’s a moral burden. Justice doesn’t live in a police file it lives inside the people who know the truth.
Come Forward It’s Time
Police are still pleading for tips. If you know ANYTHING big or small come forward. You can stay completely anonymous. Use Silent Witness at 1-800-343-TIPS (8477) or SilentWitness.org. There’s even a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to an arrest or indictment.
Don’t let Aaron fade away. Say his NAME. His name is AARON.
My Personal Connection
During the height of my addiction, I was homeless. I was pistol-whipped, mugged, and left with a concussion and six contorted ribs. I’ve lived that life. And let me tell you it’s brutal enough without someone setting you on fire.
So yeah, I’ll always have a soft spot for the homeless and for people struggling with addiction. It’s hard as hell to get clean and even harder to stay clean but it’s worth it.
A Pattern of Violence
From 1999 through 2008, the National Coalition for the Homeless documented 880 violent incidents against unhoused individuals across 263 cities. Out of those:
- 244 resulted in deaths
- 636 were non-fatal attacks
If you ask me, this should absolutely fall under hate crime statutes. But it doesn’t.
Why Isn’t Homelessness a Hate Crime?
Homelessness isn’t covered under federal hate crime laws in the U.S. That means crimes targeting people for being homeless aren’t classified as hate crimes federally.
Some states like Florida, Maryland, and D.C. have laws adding “homeless status” to hate crime protections. But there’s still no nationwide law, leaving countless people exposed and vulnerable.
Advocacy groups like the National Coalition for the Homeless keep pushing for change. But so far, no federal legislation has passed. And that’s a damn shame.
Don’t Let Aaron’s Story Fade
Despite everything, the Phoenix Police Department, Silent Witness, and renewed media attention keep Aaron’s case alive. Time changes circumstances. People grow braver. Relationships shift. Memories resurface.
Aaron deserves justice. Everyone deserves to feel safe.
So I’ll leave you with this:
What kind of person picks on and hurts vulnerable members of our community??!!??!!
If you know anything anything at all speak up. Let’s make sure Aaron Taylor is never forgotten.
Phoenix Police Department Contact Info:
- Phone: 602-495-5883
- Email: coldcasehomicide.ppd@phoenix.gov
- Silent Witness: 1-800-343-TIPS (8477) | SilentWitness.org
This has been Dicking Around With Richie: A True Crime Feed, brought to you by The Sassy Gazette.
Comments
Post a Comment