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3 Arrested In Wilkinsburg Tax Return Robbery, Homicide

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Police say three people have been arrested after a woman was shot and killed during a theft involving her tax return money in Wilkinsburg.

According to a criminal complaint, the woman, Keiauna Davis, was killed by Dane Taylor during a theft at the 1700 block of Laketon Road. Taylor was in a car being driven by Kaijin Scott. The third suspect not in the car at the time was Laya Whitley.

An update Saturday from police said the suspect Taylor had not originally been arrested and had a warrant out for his arrest but was then apprehended Saturday by police.

Dane James Taylor
(Photo Courtesy: Allegheny County)
Kaijin Scott
(Photo Courtesy: Allegheny County)
Laya Whitley
(Photo Courtesy: Allegheny County)

The complaint says Wilkinsburg police responded to a call of shots fired and someone suffering a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, officers found Davis laying on the sidewalk suffering from a suspected gunshot wound. Paramedics transported her to U.P.M.C. Presbyterian Hospital where she later died.

A witness told police that Davis had just received $3000 cash Thursday morning from her income tax return. Davis had the money deposited into the witness' bank account and collected the money from the witness during her lunch break at the Dollar General where Davis worked.

Police say that as Davis left work, she was followed by Taylor and Scott in a Toyota Corolla. They pulled the car in front of her at the 1700 block of Laketon Road. Scott exited the vehicle and pretended to be fixing the vehicle while Taylor chased down Davis, a struggle ensued, several gunshots were fired of which one struck Davis. Taylor retrieved a purse from Davis and returned to the car. Taylor once again got out of the car and went back to Davis where it is believed he retrieved a dropped cell phone. He then returned to the car. An envelope inside the purse contained money and the purse was tossed out of the vehicle before they both fled the scene in the vehicle.

Davis is then seen on surveillance footage crawling toward the sidewalk.

Detectives later located the vehicle in Penn Hills at the 600 block of Jefferson Road and followed a K9 track to the vehicle's owner. The vehicle was owned by the mother of Kaijin Scott. She told police that her son was using the vehicle during the time of day of the murder.

Scott told police that he was using the vehicle as a jitney and drove Taylor to pick up money from Davis when he says Taylor then fired shots at her before they fled the scene and distributed the money among themselves at Taylor's house in Turtle Creek. Scott said he also drove Taylor to distribute money to Laya Whitley. Whitley was an employee at the Dollar General and is believed to have been communicating with Taylor via text messages while Davis was working.

During the course of the investigation, detectives noted that the Dollar General work schedule showed Whitley was working with Davis prior to the time of this homicide. Detectives found communications between Taylor and Witley on Whitley's iphone.

The investigation was handled between Allegheny County Homicide Detectives, Wilkinsburg Police and Allegheny County Forensic Investigators.

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