Man accused in the killing of Mary Taylor must remain in jail, judge says

Joe Malinconico
·2 min read

PATERSON — A Hackensack man accused in the fatal shooting of Mary Taylor last year must stay in jail while the charges are pending against him, a judge ruled on Tuesday.

Superior Court Judge Imre Karaszegi said no amount of bail would ensure that the accused, 26-year-old Christopher Thomas, would appear for his trial. Karaszegi cited Thomas’ track record of not showing up for court in other cases as well as his “escalating” criminal background.

Taylor’s father, Michael, attended the court hearing, interrupting the judge to make his feelings known.

Mary Taylor was hit by gunfire across from the Van Houten street apartment building where she lived with her mother in Paterson on Oct. 1, 2023. She died Oct. 2, 2023.
Mary Taylor was hit by gunfire across from the Van Houten street apartment building where she lived with her mother in Paterson on Oct. 1, 2023. She died Oct. 2, 2023.

“Please don’t never let him go,” Taylor said of Thomas. “This is pain I’ve got to live with forever,” the grieving father added.

At the end of the court session, Taylor apologized to the judge.

“No disrespect,” he said. “I’m just here to get justice for my daughter.”

More from Paterson Press: Paterson police say latex gloves left in trash led to arrest in Mary Taylor's homicide

What else does this complaint say?

The complaint against Thomas said four other men fired guns at Taylor on the night of Oct. 1, outside the Question Mark bar at the corner of Van Houten and Cianci streets in Paterson. A sixth person was driving the getaway car, according to court records.

So far, Thomas has been the only suspect arrested in the case. His lawyer, Michael Robbins, asked during Tuesday’s hearing whether Thomas was being charged as an accomplice or as Taylor’s killer.

Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jonathan Barrera said investigators have not determined if one of the bullets fired by Thomas struck Taylor.

A key piece of evidence in the case is DNA linking Thomas to a latex glove dumped by one of the gunmen who got out of the getaway car, authorities said.

Joe Malinconico is editor of Paterson Press. Email: editor@patersonpress.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Suspect in Mary Taylor's killing in Paterson must remain in jail