ID Channel to Premiere ‘Fallen Star’: A Gripping Documentary Exploring the Tragic Death of Kelvin ‘KJ’ Taylor

By Amanda Barber

On Jan. 10, Investigation Discovery (ID) will air an episode about the late Kelvin “KJ” Taylor. Taylor, who was beloved by his community, was shot and killed at only 18 years old on April 7, 2021, on the West Side of Charleston, West Virginia.  

The official Facebook Page for the KJ Taylor Fund shared a statement from Iain Pelling, Managing Director of Arrow Media International Ltd. The media company’s ID documentary series “See No Evil” focuses on the utilization of surveillance footage to find suspects in cases that may have otherwise gone unsolved. 

The episode about Taylor’s death, titled “Fallen Star,” falls into Season 9B, according to Tina Sadler, a line producer for the series. The episode will show a combination of evidence to tell the story of what led up to the murder and the following police investigation. “Fallen Star” will feature home video, surveillance footage, drama reconstruction, eyewitness accounts, police interviews and crime scene photos. 

Taylor was shot and killed at the corner of Glenwood Avenue and Central Avenue around 8:10 p.m. The Charleston Police Department (CPD) obtained a video captured in the vicinity around the time of the shooting and identified the suspect vehicle, a gray 2000s model Ford F-150. Law enforcement released the video as well as photos, also urging other West Side residents to examine their surveillance footage for potential evidence. 

Police located the truck on April 13, 2021, and on April 28, 2021, they announced a murder warrant was issued for Dekotis Thomas, 19, of South Charleston. In June, Thomas was indicted for one count of murder, one count of using a firearm while committing a felony, and two counts of wanton endangerment involving a firearm. The U.S. Marshal’s Service apprehended Thomas in Akron, Ohio, on July 8, 2021. He was sentenced to life in prison without mercy in December 2022. 

With sensitivity in mind, Arrow Media recently notified Taylor’s father about what visuals and information will be included in the episode. The media company advises that family and friends make personal decisions about whether to watch or not. 

At the time of Taylor’s death, he was a star athlete and roughly one month away from graduating from Capital High School. His loved ones remember him as a bright and talented young man who held an unwavering pride in being a West Sider. They describe Taylor as someone who truly cared, constantly showing up for his friends and extending a hand to those at his school who seemed like they needed a little extra support. Kelvin “KJ” Taylor had class, he had originality, and as his friends once recalled to Charleston Mayor Amy Goodwin, “Man, he loved hot Cheetos a lot.” Read about funeral services for Taylor.

“Fallen Star” will air on Jan. 10 at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on the ID network followed by repeat screenings from then on. The episode will also be available on ID’s streaming service, discovery+, the day after the premiere.