Taylor Morris Teaford

Taylor Morris Teaford (born June 18, 1935) is an American fugitive and suspected murderer who was added to the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list in 1968.

Taylor Morris Teaford
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitive
Charges	Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution Murder
Alias	Morris Teaford Taylor Melvin Teaford[1] Melvin Teaford
Description
Born	June 18, 1935 North Fork, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Gender	Male
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Weight	170 lb (77 kg)–175 lb (79 kg)[2]
Status
Added	May 10, 1968
Removed	May 24, 1972
Number	279
Removed from Top Ten Fugitive List

Early life

Teaford was born in 1935 at North Fork, California[2] and was raised by his grandmother Pearl due to his parents' separation. Of American Indian descent, he was afflicted with polio at the age of 13 which caused him to walk with a limp to his right leg.[3]

Criminal career

Morgue photograph of the currently unidentified female Teaford was accused of killing in 1969.

Teaford dropped out of school in the ninth grade; his criminal record began as a juvenile, when he was charged with theft and reckless driving at the Fresno County Juvenile Court.[4]

He was also imprisoned in 1957 on a rape charge, and in 1955 for burglary. In July 1967, Teaford was sought in a manhunt after the shooting death of his grandmother, Pearl in North Fork, which also wounded his sister and one other person. He was added to the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list on May 10, 1968 on a warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.[5] In 1972, Teaford was charged with the murder of an unidentified woman found dead from strangulation and blunt force trauma in an Oakland, California hotel room on October 2, 1969.[1]

Teaford was described by the FBI on his wanted poster to be "strong physically", proficient at firearms use, and to have an "explosive" temper. He was also said to drink alcohol heavily and use narcotics.[2] He was removed from the list in 1972 when federal process against him was dismissed.[6]

See also

• List of fugitives from justice who disappeared

References

1. "Oakland Fugitive on FBI Most Wanted List". Oakland Tribune. February 22, 1972. p. 2. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
2. "FBI's 'Ten Most Wanted' List Celebrates Its 20th Anniversary". The Daily Advertiser. March 22, 1970. p. 23. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
3. Brown, Barbara (July 24, 1967). "Teaford Probation Report". Madera Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
4. Brown, Barbara (July 24, 1967). "Probation Report Sheds New Light On Taylor Teaford Personality". Madera Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
5. Maggy, August (July 19, 1967). "Suspected Killer Sought In North Fork Manhunt". Madera Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
6. Federal Bureau of Investigation (2017). FBI's Most Wanted – Incredible History of the Innovative Program: Discover All the Facts About the Program Which Led to the Location of More Than 460 of Our Nation's Most Dangerous Criminals. e-artnow. ISBN 978-8026875543. Retrieved February 6, 2020.