Lawrence Taylor, a federal inmate, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his cellmate at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. The incident occurred on January 12, 2019, when Taylor and Jan Stevens were housed together in the Special Housing Unit.

Court documents reveal that a staff member noticed Stevens lying on the lower bunk with visible injuries and blood present in the cell. An autopsy confirmed Stevens had suffered 43 stab wounds, leading to his death. Taylor later admitted to FBI agents that he had killed Stevens using a weapon he possessed for three months.

Taylor was serving a sentence for bank robberies committed in 2009 and was expected to be released by September 2031. His conviction now extends his incarceration indefinitely.

John E. Childress, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, commented on the case: “This murder extends beyond the taking of a life – it shatters the lives of those closest to the victim. Taylor’s act was heinous; well justifying the imposition of a life sentence.”

FBI Indianapolis Special Agent in Charge Herbert J. Stapleton stated: “This life sentence reflects the FBI’s commitment to justice for all victims including those who are incarcerated in federal correctional facilities. The brutality of this violent murder deserves the maximum penalty allowed under the law.”

A Federal Bureau of Prisons Spokesperson added: "Today's sentencing sends a clear message - those who threaten or harm others will be held accountable."

The investigation involved both the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. U.S. District Judge James R. Sweeney II imposed the sentence, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Jayson W. McGrath and former Assistant U.S. Attorney James M. Warden prosecuted.