Powhatan County

4300 block of Three Bridge Road

9:45 AM

Gunshot

Unknown

Slain Powhatan teen’s father shot
By Mark Bowes

Published: December 6, 2008

One of two residents shot last week inside a Powhatan County home by men demanding cash was the father of Tahliek Taliaferro, who was slain during an unrelated shooting this summer, court documents show.

Taliaferro father, Franklin Michaux, and his housemate, Anthony McKoy, were shot a week ago yesterday during an apparent confrontation with three males who were demanding money from both men, according to an affidavit to search the victims’ residence in the 4300 block of Three Bridge Road.

When deputies responded to a 9:45 a.m. emergency call, they found blood in two bedrooms and in a hallway, and cartridge casings scattered inside, according to the affidavit. McKoy’s girlfriend was inside the house at the time of the shooting and told investigators about the gunmen demanding money.

McKoy was shot several times in the torso and flown by helicopter to VCU Medical Center in Richmond. He died Thursday of his wounds.

Michaux, who was shot in the arm, was treated and released the day of the shooting.

Powhatan authorities emphasized yesterday that Michaux’s shooting and his son’s death more than five months ago are not related.

“We’re confident that the two incidents have absolutely nothing to do with each other,“ said Powhatan Sheriff Greg Neal.

Neal declined to comment on a possible motive for last week’s shooting. But court papers show that police found a smoking device and what appeared to be three bags of drugs—possibly marijuana and crack cocaine—inside the home.

Investigators also seized five cell phones, ammunition, two 9 mm cartridge casings and various papers from McKoy’s bedroom, according to the warrant.

Michaux was convicted in Powhatan nearly 10 years ago of two counts of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and sentenced to 40 years in prison with 34 years suspended. He was also fined $10,000, according to court records.

His son’s slaying in June sparked strong reactions in the community; some attempted to portray it in Internet postings as a racially motivated attack. Taliaferro was African-American and the three people charged in his death are white.

Taliaferro, 18, a popular student and football player at Powhatan High School, was shot with an assault rifle after a confrontation at a local hangout—the county’s first homicide in six years.

Joseph “Joey” Parrish, 17; his cousin Ethan Parrish, 24; and Stephanie Reynolds, 19, have been charged with first-degree murder in the slaying. Five others are charged with aiding the three as they attempted to avoid arrest.

Joseph and Ethan Parrish will be tried March 18.

McKoy’s death is Powhatan’s fourth homicide of the year. Police are looking for three men who were last seen in a silver, four-door Cadillac with Virginia license plates.