In a chilling series of events in 2023, Timothy Taylor, a 38-year-old man from Brooklyn, New York, admitted to the brutal murders of his wife, Theresa Gregg, and his ex-wife, Tishawn Folkes-Taylor, committed just weeks apart. The tragic cases, marked by domestic violence and loss, unfolded across Brooklyn and Schenectady, culminating in Taylor’s guilty plea and a significant prison sentence.
On May 13, 2023, Taylor fatally stabbed his then-wife, 37-year-old Theresa Gregg, inside their shared apartment on Bedford Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Gregg, a dedicated officer with the New York City Department of Homeless Services, was found dead by her two daughters, having suffered multiple stab wounds to her neck and body. Reports indicate that Gregg, who had been married to Taylor for only a month, was pregnant at the time of her death. Taylor fled the scene, evading authorities and traveling to North Carolina.
Two weeks later, on May 27, 2023, Taylor resurfaced in Schenectady, New York, where he checked into the Imperial Hotel. In the early hours of May 28, he broke into the home of his ex-wife, 44-year-old Tishawn Folkes-Taylor, located on Pleasant Street in the Mont Pleasant neighborhood. Armed with a knife, Taylor stabbed Folkes-Taylor 22 times in the presence of her three children, two of whom were his own from their marriage, which had ended in divorce in 2021. Despite the horrific attack, Folkes-Taylor heroically ensured the safety of her children, who were unharmed. She was found unconscious by police responding to a call for medical assistance and was pronounced dead at the scene due to severe trauma.
Following the Schenectady murder, Taylor fled through a bedroom window, discarded his clothing while heading to downtown Schenectady, and took a taxi to the Albany bus station to leave the city. Authorities quickly identified him as a person of interest in both killings. A manhunt ensued, and on June 2, 2023, U.S. Marshals apprehended Taylor at a bar in Philadelphia’s Center City neighborhood, acting on a tip received that morning.
During interviews with NYPD Detective Liam Crowley and retired Schenectady Police Investigator Chris North, Taylor confessed to both murders. In a disturbing statement, he expressed remorse for killing Gregg but claimed Folkes-Taylor “deserved it” due to lingering animosity from their past relationship. Court records reveal that Folkes-Taylor had obtained an order of protection against Taylor following a 2021 incident in which he allegedly choked her during a domestic dispute. At the time of her murder, Taylor faced pending charges in Schenectady for criminal obstruction of breathing, criminal contempt, and harassment related to his treatment of Folkes-Taylor.
On July 1, 2025, Taylor pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in Schenectady County Court for the killing of Tishawn Folkes-Taylor. As part of the plea deal, he faces a sentence of 22 years to life in prison, with sentencing scheduled for September 16, 2025. The Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office, led by Robert M. Carney, praised Folkes-Taylor’s courage in protecting her children during the attack and credited her family, particularly her eldest child, a high school student at the time, for aiding in the case. Carney also commended the investigative work of law enforcement in securing Taylor’s conviction.
Taylor still faces a pending indictment in Kings County for the murder of Theresa Gregg, with the case currently in the discovery stage. If convicted of second-degree murder in Brooklyn, he could face an additional 25 years to life, potentially served consecutively with the Schenectady sentence. Authorities in both jurisdictions are coordinating to ensure the cases proceed smoothly.
The tragic deaths of Theresa Gregg and Tishawn Folkes-Taylor have left a profound impact on their families and communities. Gregg was remembered as a vibrant woman dedicated to serving vulnerable New Yorkers, while Folkes-Taylor was hailed as a courageous mother who shielded her children in her final moments. Taylor’s actions, described as heinous by prosecutors, have ensured that he will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars, bringing a measure of justice to the victims and their loved ones.