Police Arrested Suspect in death of Student who tried to Sell Car on Craigslist

Florissant police reported Wednesday that they took into custody a 24-year-old man who is suspected that he had killed Taylor Clark, a 19-year-old Illinois student, with whom he arranged a meeting to buy a sports car that Taylor tried to sell on Craigslist.

Clark (photo right) was last seen alive Monday morning when he briefly visited his girlfriend near the campus. His phone records and Craigslist account indicate that he also contacted a person interested in buying his Nissan 350ZX that morning.

One day later, police officers found his car parked outside MTC Truck Driver Training School in Hazelwood and his body about 400 yards away from the vehicle in a wooded zone.

Capt. Tim Fagan announced that the police had finally arrested a suspect, who was also an employee of the truck driver training school. Michael Gordon, 24, allegedly met with Taylor during his launch break to perform a test drive of the vehicle put on sale on Craigslist for $11,000.

Yet, something must have happened since moments later Gordon shot Taylor one time from close range. He quickly dragged the body to a leafy area where he tried to conceal it with dirt and leaves. Soon afterward, the man returned to his workplace.

According to police, Gordon declined to reveal too much during the investigation. So, investigators currently search for more evidence.

Witnesses, however, say that they saw Gordon and Taylor stepping into the car and driving off during Gordon’s launch break. Minutes later, the 24-year-old man returned and parked the car in the truck driver training school’s parking lot. A witness recalls that he was alone.

Apparently, the killing occurred during the man’s launch break when he shot Clark in the head.

Suspect’s grandfather, Uly Gordon, told reporters that he received Thursday a phone call from his grandson who was held into custody. According to Uly, the conversation lasted a few minutes but he was absolutely sure that his grandson couldn’t be the ruthless killer police say he is.

Uly Gordon, 74, also said that his grandson sounded really stressed and repeatedly told him that he was innocent.

“He said, ‘This is not right. They got the wrong guy.’ He was stressed and he told me he didn’t do it. I believe him,”

the 74-year-old man stated. He also said that Gordon never showed a violent side.

Police charged Michael Gordon with armed criminal action and first-degree murder. His red BMW was also found parked outside his workplace in Hazelwood, St Louis. So, investigators planned to search the vehicle hoping to find the weapon he used in the killing of Taylor Clark. They also said that they would review CCTV footage and have a talk with the suspect’s co-workers.

On the other hand, Gordon’s criminal record is clean. The only time he had trouble with justice was four years ago when one of his ex-girlfriends obtained a restraining order against him for hitting and stalking her on various occasions for refusing to reconcile with him. The woman couldn’t be reached for comment.

The managers from the truck driver training school, as well as Clark’s family members declined to comment when they were contacted Thursday.

Image Source: Jalopnik