With broken hearts and profound sorrow, we remember Evan Taylor, just 19 years old, whose life was tragically taken in a shooting early Friday morning in Shepherdstown.
Shortly after 3:30 a.m., a call came into dispatch reporting that a young man was suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside a University Heights Apartment off Hensel Drive. The caller informed authorities that the suspect had fled the area on foot. Law enforcement and first responders rushed to the scene, where they found Evan inside the apartment. Despite efforts to assist him, Evan was pronounced dead at the scene.
The devastating news sent shockwaves through the close-knit community and the campus of Shepherd University, where many students and residents are now grieving the loss of a young life filled with promise.
Witnesses quickly provided descriptions of the suspect to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Shepherd University Police. Adam Letts reviewed university surveillance footage and observed a male matching the description. The individual, identified as Travis Smith, 25, was tracked on surveillance cameras to the H Lot parking area, where he was seen entering a vehicle.
Officers Letts and Ricketts detained Smith and reportedly found a loaded Glock handgun in his possession. Authorities later confirmed that Smith has been charged with murder in connection with Evan’s death.
Thomas Hansen expressed gratitude to the cooperating agencies involved in the swift response and investigation, including the Charles Town, Ranson, Shepherdstown, and Shepherd University Police Departments, as well as the Martinsburg Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Jefferson County Emergency Services Agency. The investigation remains ongoing.
Remembering Evan
Beyond the tragic headlines was a 19-year-old young man at the beginning of his adult life. Evan Taylor had dreams, aspirations, and a future that should have stretched far beyond this moment. He was someone’s son, someone’s friend, someone deeply loved.
At 19, life is full of possibility — new experiences, new friendships, and plans for the future. Those who knew Evan will remember his personality, his presence, and the moments they shared with him. His absence now leaves a silence that words cannot fill.
The loss of someone so young is especially painful. It is the loss of milestones that will never be reached, of memories that will never be made, and of a life that held so much potential.
A Community in Mourning
Shepherdstown is a small and tight-knit community, and tragedies like this ripple through every corner. Students, faculty, residents, and families are united in grief, holding one another close as they process this heartbreaking event.
As the legal process moves forward, the focus for many remains on honoring Evan’s life and supporting those who loved him. In times like these, community strength and compassion become vital.
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Lt. Steven Holz of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office as the investigation continues.
Today, we pause to remember Evan Taylor — not only for the tragedy that ended his life, but for the life he lived in his 19 years. May his memory be a blessing to all who knew him. May his family find comfort in the love that surrounds them. And may Evan rest in eternal peace.
Gone too soon. Forever remembered.