Richard Taylor guilty of two counts of first degree murder

Richard Taylor has been found guilty of two counts of first degree murder for killing his mother, Carla Rutherford and step father, Alan Rutherford four years ago.

Taylor was sentenced immediately to the maximum sentence possible, life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

The verdict came down after two days of deliberation.

The judge told the court Taylor’s crime was so horrible that he would have ordered him to prison for 50 years if he could have.

Taylor listened without emotion as the verdict was delivered and had nothing to say when he was asked.

In court, the judge described Alan Rutherford as a hero who tried to save his wife’s life while she was burning, despite his own burns. He also thanked Rutherford for telling witnesses before his death that “Rich did this”, otherwise, he said Taylor might have gotten away with it.