Columbus police and Central Ohio Crime Stoppers are once again asking the public for help in the long-unsolved death of 21-year-old Candice Taylor, whose legs were found at a south side trash facility in March 2017. Her family says a maze of confusing messages after she vanished, combined with the recovery of only partial remains, has left them with almost no answers. Investigators say there are persons of interest in the case, but no arrests.
Central Ohio Crime Stoppers has renewed its call for tips and is offering an unspecified cash reward, according to NBC4. Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact the tip line at 614-461-8477 or Columbus police homicide at 614-645-4730. Police have previously identified two males as persons of interest, including Taylor’s then-boyfriend, but say there is no one they are prepared to charge at this time.
State records and the scene
According to the Ohio Attorney General, Candice Aliciea Taylor is listed on the state’s unsolved homicides page as case number 3009. The entry notes that remains were recovered from a garbage-processing site at 1300 South Columbus Airport Road on March 28, 2017, and that those remains were later identified as Taylor. A brown fur boot was found with the legs. The state listing names the Columbus Division of Police as the lead agency and confirms that the investigation is still open.
Family still looking for answers
Taylor’s mother, Theodora, told NBC4 she reported her daughter missing in March 2017, then began receiving messages from a Facebook account that she was convinced did not belong to Candice. “I never got that, so I knew it wasn’t her,” she said. Learning that only her daughter’s legs had been recovered, she added, has left the family without any real sense of closure. Relatives and local advocates say they hope the renewed Crime Stoppers reward will finally push someone with information to speak up.
Where the case stands now
Officials say the investigation remains active and that even leads that are years old can help move the case forward, according to the state cold case entry. Central Ohio Crime Stoppers continues to accept anonymous tips at 614-461-8477 and through its website, while the Columbus Division of Police homicide unit can be reached at 614-645-4730. The Ohio Attorney General listing makes clear the case is still open as investigators follow every lead they can get.
