Serial Killer Seeking Release From Mendota

A July 14th hearing has been scheduled in Washington County Court for a 70-year-old serial killer once again seeking his release from the Mendota Mental Health Institute. Alvin Taylor appeared by video from Mendota in Court Friday afternoon. Taylor killed four men in the mid-1980s in Wisconsin and Minnesota. One of the victims was from Washington County. Taylor was found not guilty of the crimes because of mental disease or defect. Judge Andrew Gonring turned down Taylor’s request for conditional release last October, saying he was not convinced that Taylor was not still at risk of harming others. Under the law, Taylor can apply for release every six months. The Washington County victim was shot in the head in the Town of Jackson in 1986, but was able to get in his car and drive a short distance before crashing. Authorities initially thought the man died of injuries from the crash. Taylor later admitted to the shooting. Even if Judge Gonring would approve Taylor’s release request, Taylor would have had to convince judges in Dunn and Eau Claire counties that he was no longer a risk to society.