Man Sentenced to 86 Years for Killing Teacher in Front of Her Students

LONG BEACH, CA - A man who fatally stabbed his children's maternal grandmother, who was a teacher, in a Long Beach park as her students played nearby was sentenced Friday to 86 years to life in prison.

Steven Brown, 52, was convicted in January of first-degree murder for the Oct. 11, 2013, killing of Kellye Taylor, whose throat was slit at Orizaba Park. Brown apologized in court, but insisted that while he attacked the woman, he didn't kill her.

"I am sorry, truly sorry," Brown said during the sentencing hearing.

But he claimed that Taylor was alive when she was taken to the hospital, and suggested that her family should sue the hospital over her death. He conceded, however, that he "did play a role in her death."

Brown's three children -- all under the age of 12 -- had been placed with Taylor, over Brown's objective, according to Deputy District Attorney Diana Martinez.

Taylor, 53, was attacked while she was watching over her Huntington Academy students, who were on recess in the park at Spaulding Street and Orizaba Avenue.

Another teacher who was at the park whisked the children away from the scene and a third teacher rendered aid to the mortally injured woman, the prosecutor said.

DNA evidence from a knife found nearby linked the weapon to Brown and the victim, the prosecutor said.

Brown was arrested at the intersection of Anaheim Street and Redondo Avenue, a few blocks from the private Huntington Academy.

Brown had prior strikes for residential burglary and robbery.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock