Superintendent Robert L. Taylor

Robert L. Taylor

Superintendent Robert Taylor was assaulted, stabbed and beaten to death by four inmates in the South Cell House of the Pontiac Correctional Center.

Superintendent Taylor was stabbed with a 10-inch shank two times in the chest and four times in the back and suffered several blows to the head with a pipe.

Two inmates were sentenced to death and the other two inmates received life sentences. On January 11, 2003, the outgoing governor granted clemency to all 167 Illinois death row inmates as one of his last acts in office. Both inmates' sentences were commuted to life without parole.

Superintendent Taylor was survived by his wife, son, three daughters, mother, stepfather, four brothers and three sisters.