In the quiet corridors of Anderson Park, where destinies entwined, the ill-fated connection between Derek Smyer and Crystal Taylor unfolded during the late spring of 2001.
A fleeting encounter sparked an unexpected liaison, a brief fling that carried an unintended consequence — Crystal’s pregnancy. The tumultuous narrative of their relationship took a tragic turn, culminating in Crystal’s brutal demise on September 25, 2001, leaving the entire state of California in shock.
The Enigmatic Derek Smyer
Derek Smyer, a name etched in infamy, crossed paths with Crystal in the tranquil embrace of Anderson Park, adjacent to their workplaces. Their liaison, though fleeting, left an indelible mark, for Crystal found herself pregnant within a month. The relationship’s unraveling mirrored Derek’s reluctance to embrace impending fatherhood. Reports suggest he urged Crystal to undergo an abortion, a plea she vehemently rejected, choosing instead to navigate impending motherhood alone.
When tragedy struck and Crystal, along with her unborn son Jeremiah Johnson Taylor, met a grisly end, suspicion naturally turned to Derek. Interrogated promptly, Derek maintained his innocence without legal representation but attempted to cast doubt on the paternity of the unborn child, a futile endeavor in the face of compelling evidence.
Despite a legal search yielding little, the eerie resemblance between Derek and the suspicious figure seen fleeing the crime scene raised eyebrows. More significantly, revelations surfaced about Derek’s past, involving violent attacks on his high school girlfriend Traci Williamson during her pregnancies. The absence of concrete evidence allowed Derek to evade legal consequences until 2011 when Skyler Moore’s confession unraveled the sinister plot.
Derek Smyer’s Unveiling: A Decade of Justice
A decade elapsed before Derek faced apprehension in connection to Crystal’s murder. The wheels of justice, however, turned at a deliberate pace, with a hung jury in 2016 prolonging the wait. The verdict finally echoed in the hallowed halls of justice on October 21, 2017. Convicted on counts of first-degree murder, with special circumstances of financial gain and multiple murders, second-degree murder, and solicitation of murder, Derek Smyer faced the consequences of his malevolent actions.
Official court documents laid bare the heinous motives behind Crystal’s murder — a desire to avoid child support payments led Derek to orchestrate her death, ensuring the demise of the unborn child. The gravity of his actions warranted a life sentence without parole, underscoring the repugnance of his deeds.
Where is Derek Smyer Now?
It took ten years for the police to catch Derek Smyer for killing his ex-girlfriend and their unborn child. Then it took six more years for him to be punished. His first trial in 2016 didn’t reach a decision, but he was found guilty on October 21, 2017, by a jury of six men and six women after a few weeks of hearing evidence. He was charged with first-degree murder for financial gain and multiple murders, second-degree murder, and two counts of trying to hire someone to commit murder.
According to court papers, Derek wanted Crystal dead so he wouldn’t have to pay child support for their baby. This terrible reason for his actions led to him being sentenced to life in prison without any chance of getting out. Now, at 42 years old, he’s in jail at the California Substance Abuse Treatment Facility in Corcoran, Kings County. He’s expected to stay there for a long time.
The Timeline
- Derek Paul Smyer, a 36-year-old man from Los Angeles, was convicted of double homicide.
- Prosecutors stated that Smyer hired a hitman to kill his then-pregnant girlfriend, Crystal Taylor.
- Smyer was found guilty of second-degree murder for Taylor’s killing and first-degree murder of the fetus, along with other charges.
- Smyer’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 1, and he faces life imprisonment.
- Smyer hired Skyler Jefferson Moore, aged 35, to carry out the murder of Taylor.
- Taylor, who was 22 weeks pregnant, was discovered shot dead inside her apartment complex in 2001.
- Moore, already serving time for another crime, confessed to killing Taylor on Smyer’s behalf in exchange for better prison conditions.
- Moore later retracted his confession, expressing concern about potentially convicting an innocent person.