The mother, Cynthia Corbin Taylor, 36, is in critical condition atUNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill. Her 13-year-old daughter, Marquita CorbinTaylor, who attended Erwin Middle School, died at the scene. Taylor'shusband, Walter B. Taylor, was transported to Good Hope Hospital inHarnett County, where he later died.
According to Harnett County Sheriff Larry Knott, Walter Taylorcalled his brother, Frank Taylor, and told him that he shot his wife andstepdaughter and was planning to kill himself. While talkingto Walter Taylor, Frank Taylor heard a gunshot.
Knott said Walter Taylor had made it clear what he was doing.
Knott said the mother and daughter were lying together on a bed whenthey were shot. Walter Taylor's body was found a few feet away. Lying nearhis body was a .380 semi-automatic handgun.
Another member of thefamily, 5-year-old Courtney Taylor, a daughter of bothparents, was in the home at the time of the shooting, which occurred about 2:15 a.m. Courtney Taylor somehow managed to sleep throughthe entire event, authorities said.
A third child, who is 19, was in Georgia at the time of the shootings.
A neighbor told WRAL-TV5'sTerriGrucathat nothing like this has ever happened in that neighborhoodbefore.
A family friend said the Taylors had lived for about5 years in the house where the shooting occurred. The family had attendedchurch together on Wednesday. Their pastor, Reverend Brian Davis, said thefamily should no sign of trouble.
The 5-year-old child is now in the custody of her uncle. The13-year-old who was killed was a student at Erwin Middle School. Schoolofficials were notified early Friday morning and have arranged for crisiscounselors to be on hand for grieving students.
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