A Hartselle man who was in jail awaiting trial for rape, kidnapping, burglary and other offenses escaped from the Morgan County Jail in downtown Decatur, the Sheriff’s Office said today.
Jeremy Taylor, 49, escaped by breaking through a jail window that the Sheriff’s Office said “was previously considered to be securely built into the facility.”
Taylor was in jail on charges that included two counts of domestic-violence rape, kidnapping an adult for purposes of sexual assault, first-degree burglary, two counts of breaking and entering a vehicle, two counts of first-degree sodomy and possession of a controlled substance.
The Sheriff’s Office said that anyone who sees Taylor should not approach him and should call 911. Anyone with additional information on Taylor should contact investigators at 256-340-4613.
Deputies with dogs could be seen near the jail today searching for Taylor.
According to a search warrant affidavit by Hartselle police, a woman returned to her home after grocery shopping at 9:45 p.m. on Oct. 7, 2020. She showered and at about 11 p.m. entered her bedroom and discovered a man she did not know.
“She began screaming but the unknown male placed her in a headlock and told her he would put her to sleep if she wasn’t quiet,” according to the affidavit. “Afterwards, the unknown male raped her for about an hour.”
The man told her to take a shower and when she got out he was gone and she called the police.
The victim later identified the man as Taylor when she saw a mugshot of him on Facebook related to his earlier arrest on a drug charge, according to Hartselle police. DNA samples from the rape kit were compared to DNA samples of Taylor, according to police, and they matched.