Rock Hill man charged in wife’s murder had a restraining order against him
A York County Family Court judge issued a restraining order on Jan. 15 that barred Christopher Taylor from threatening his wife or going to her Rock Hill home, court documents show.
Now Taylor is in jail charged with her murder.
Julie Taylor was found dead in her home on Jan. 17. She is set to be buried on Tuesday.
The couple was going through a divorce, according to family court documents obtained by The Herald from the York County Clerk of Court Office. They had split in October 2019, court filings show.
In those documents, Julie Taylor accused her husband of physical violence. The violence caused substantial physical harm to Julie Taylor, the divorce documents say.
Julie Taylor was fearful of her husband and sought a restraining order to keep him from “harassing, contacting, bothering or threatening her,” documents show.
Christopher Taylor and Julie Taylor signed a judicial order during court on Jan. 15 that restrained each from threatening the other, according to the order signed by S.C. Family Court Judge James McGee.
“Husband shall be restrained from approaching, entering, or using such residence,” the order from McGee states.
Arrest warrants obtained by The Herald state Christopher Taylor did go to Julie Taylor’s home on Winding Way.
Lt. Michael Chavis of the Rock Hill Police Department said the investigation into the killing and events leading up to the death remain ongoing. Police declined to release a possible motive.
Christopher Taylor is being held without bond at the York County jail, pending trial. He faces 30 years up to life in prison if convicted, South Carolina law shows. He does not yet have a lawyer in the criminal case, court records show.
Julie Taylor was a nurse in Rock Hill who was loved by her peers, said Dr. Bill Alleyne, a longtime co-worker.
Cherish Benton, a friend of Julie Taylor for more than 20 years, said Julie was a happy and wonderful person. In the week since she died, Benton has helped organize a memorial service in Rock Hill. That service was held Jan. 24.
Benton said she and others want to see stronger laws -- it could be called ‘Julie’s Law’ -- passed to protect domestic violence victims. Friends and advocates against domestic violence do not want what happened to Julie Taylor to happen to anyone else, Benton said.
“The goal is to keep someone else alive,” Benton said.
A GoFundMe account has been set up online to support the family of the victim.
