One indicted on wanton murder charge in death of 15-year-old Trinity Gay

A man accused of instigating an exchange of gunfire that led to the death of Olympian Tyson Gay’s 15-year-old daughter has been indicted on a wanton murder charge.

Chazerae M. Taylor, 38, also was indicted on four counts of wanton endangerment “for his role in creating the environment that ultimately led to the death of 15-year-old Trinity Gay,” according to Lexington police.

While police did not say whether they knew who fired the shot that killed Trinity, investigators found enough evidence to determine Taylor is the person who caused the eruption of gunfire that resulted in her death, according to the grand jury indictment.

Also indicted in the case were Lamonte Williams, 20, on five counts of wanton endangerment and D’Markeo Taylor, 19, on one count of wanton endangerment, according to police.

Chazerae Taylor is the father of D’Markeo Taylor, according to police. Chazerae Taylor was in the Fayette County Detention Center Friday on a $507,500 bond, according to the jail website.

Each of the three indicted were originally charged with one count of wanton endangerment. The additional wanton endangerment charges against Chazerae Taylor and Williams stemmed from the investigators identifying additional people in the parking lot that night who could have been injured by the gunfire, police spokeswoman Brenna Angel said.

Trinity was shot in the neck at about 4 a.m. on Oct. 16 during an exchange of gunfire between the occupants of two cars while she stood with friends in the parking lot of Cook Out restaurant on South Broadway, according to police. She died soon after at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital.

Police initially charged the three men indicted and a fourth man after they allegedly admitted firing weapons during the confrontation that killed Trinity. But until the grand jury’s indictment, no homicide-related charges had been filed.

The fourth charged, 21-year-old Dvonta Middlebrooks, was also being held in the Fayette County Detention Center. He was charged with wanton endangerment, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and violation of probation and parole, according to the jail website.

Trinity’s father posted happy birthday messages to his daughter Monday on his social accounts.

This story was originally published December 16, 2016 at 11:05 AM with the headline "One indicted on wanton murder charge in death of 15-year-old Trinity Gay."