Mourners gather to recall ‘vibrant light’ gone too soon
Woman killed at Christmas Eve party while celebrating her birthday was seen as generous, fun-loving
Carolee Dawn Taylor knew life was short, so she lived hers to the fullest.
The 46-year-old Houston mother was best known for her “megawatt smile.” She was generous, fun-loving, bubbly and talented at her job. She had a competitive spirit and was known to do “victory dances” when she won contests. Photos and videos show Taylor, an avid CrossFitter, doing handstands on one hand at tailgates, teaching her friends’ kids to dance, and riding horses in Colombia.
“She loved fiercely and passionately,” Taylor’s mother, Tina Lucas, wrote in a statement read at a vigil for her daughter Friday night. “She was such a vibrant light.”
Taylor was allegedly shot to death by an ex-boyfriend on Christmas Eve, according to police. The night of her death, 15 of Taylor’s family and close friends were there celebrating her birthday at a home in the 16500 block of Obsidian Drive in the Stonegate subdivision.
Around 8:40 p.m., investigators say Albert Benjamin Simon showed up at the party uninvited. He forced his way inside the house, witnesses told police, and began threatening Taylor in front of everyone.
Simon then forced Taylor out of the house at gunpoint, according to police. He shot her multiple times on the porch, witnesses said. She died at the scene.
Police have not located Simon since Taylor’s killing. He has been charged with murder, according to authorities. Police say he was last seen driving a dark-colored Jeep Grand Cherokee with license plate number LVN0345, when he fled the scene of Taylor’s killing.
Taylor was always the life of the party, said Michael Brown, who met the woman 23 years ago when they both worked as servers in a Houston restaurant.
“You couldn’t keep her down,” Brown said.
The 40 or so people who gathered to honor Taylor’s life on Friday night at Cleveland Park said Taylor was known for throwing great parties. They said she could fit in anywhere — whether it was a formal occasion or a barbecue.
Sports were a big part of Taylor’s life. She was a frequent guest at Minute Maid Park and loved the Astros so much that her family and friends chose to wear the team’s gear to the vigil.
Taylor had two dogs that she would have done anything for, her mother said. They frequented the park where the group gathered to mourn.
The Michigan native built a reputation for herself in the mortgage and real estate industry in Houston. Some colleagues described her as the “mortgage whisperer.”
Renee Davy, who met Taylor as a new real estate agent in 2006, said her friend took her under her wing and taught her everything she knew.
“She was extremely giving,” said Davy.
Taylor is survived by her daughter, Mya, who attends Texas State
University. A college fund has been set up for Mya, Brown said.
Getting the most out of life was important to Taylor. Her brother died in a car accident at age 20, and she said in a 2016 Facebook post that the loss taught her to appreciate every day.
“I guess I probably say life is short out loud so often to remind myself how insanely fortunate I am to have my family, friends, faith and health,” she wrote. “It’s not just about living every day like it’s your last. I try to also remind myself that yesterday is gone, so live life in the moment and forgive those that need it most.”
Taylor is the 41st person to die as a result of domestic violence so far this year in Houston, according to police, which has the most domestic homicides in Texas.
Lucas urged anyone who may be a victim of domestic violence to get help.
“If you feel like you are trapped in a situation, please seek the resources that are available to you,” she said. “Don’t try to go it alone.”
Simon was convicted of stalking a woman in December 1993 in Harris County, court records show. He entered an Alford Plea, which means a defendant accepts a conviction but does not admit guilt. Simon was ordered to serve one year of probation, pay a $200 fine and have no contact with the victim, court filings say.
In July 2018, Simon was charged with driving while intoxicated, court documents show, but the charge was dismissed in November.
Civil court records show Simon was married, and his wife filed for a divorce in October 2014. The court filings show that a Harris County judge granted the wife a temporary restraining order in November 2014.
Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering up to $5,000 in rewards for any information that leads to the arrest of the suspect in Taylor’s death, said Andy Kahan, the organization’s director of victim services and advocacy.
“Right now, justice is lacking for Carolee, and we need to give it to her now,” he said. “We know that someone out there knows something. We ask that they do the right thing.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Harris County Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at 713-274-9100 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.