RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WTVF) — A deadly case of road rage in Rutherford County has left a 22-year-old man dead and two suspects facing second-degree murder charges.
LaTashia McGowan and Glenn Branson appeared in court Monday, facing the family of Noah Taylor, who was shot and killed on Interstate 24 last month while driving to work.
Family and friends wearing “Justice for Noah” t-shirts attended the hearing as prosecutors presented evidence against the suspects.
Detectives testified that surveillance video, cell phone data from McGowan, and evidence recovered from the suspects’ garbage helped link them to the crime.
“The trash was collected by our detectives. It was gone through, and a shell casing that appeared to be similar to the ones on the interstate was located. The individual casing was sent to TBI, and we were advised they were matching,” Detective Christian Wrather said.
According to testimony, Branson admitted he and McGowan first encountered Taylor on Lee Victory Parkway.
Once on I-24, Branson said, road rage escalated and he opened fire with an AR rifle after seeing Taylor stretch his arm.
Detective Wrather testified that both the gun and car were registered in McGowan’s name, and the pair fled to Chattanooga after the shooting.
“Information was gathered as far as hotel registration confirmation and a restaurant, and that confirmation was confirmed,” Wrather said.
Defense attorneys sought to have McGowan’s bond reduced, but prosecutors argued she played a key role in trying to cover up the crime.
“She goes and gets rid of the car, and the gun switches vehicles so they can’t be detected. She was a whole lot more than just present,” prosecutors said.
Noah’s father, Scot Taylor, said the family was satisfied with how the case is moving forward.
“We pray that the court will do justice by Noah. He was a wonderful young man that had his whole life in front of him. He was just an inspiration to us all,” Taylor said.
Despite the long road ahead, he said he continues to lean on faith.
“I don’t know God’s plan, but I trust in his hand. I trust that God’s plan is for good and not for evil,” he said.
The judge denied McGowan’s request for a lower bond and sent the case to a grand jury.
Investigators also noted that two weeks before the shooting, Noah Taylor was involved in a separate road rage incident where another driver followed him home. Detectives said that the case is not connected to the current investigation.
This story was reported on-air by Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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