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Teen takes plea deal in 2022 murder of Rocky River High School student

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CHARLOTTE — The family of Nahzir Taylor now has a sense of closure after the Rocky River High School student was shot in 2022 after getting off his school bus.

Rodrizus Stafford, one of the two suspects arrested for the crime, took a plea deal Thursday for the charge of second-degree murder.

Prosecutors said Stafford was with a group of teens who followed Nahzir’s school bus home.

Taylor and his brother got off the bus near Robinson Church Road and that was when Stafford and the other kids got out of a car and chased Taylor.

“The defendant fired several shots at Nahz, one of which hit him in the head,” said prosecutor Jane Collins. “Nahz’s younger brother is actually the one who called 911.”

The shooting was captured on Ring doorbell cameras in the neighborhood.

Detectives believe the motive was that some of Taylor’s friends beat Stafford up earlier that day. Stafford’s defense attorney told the judge that it could have been stopped.

“The school failed to put an end to it, and by separating people, but removing people,” said defense attorney Joel Adelman.

He told the judge that his client, who was 16 when he committed the crime, had eight pews of family and friends supporting him. The defendant also has two kids.

Judge Matt Osman noted the sad reality of the situation in his courtroom.

“In many ways, this case feels like a microcosm of so many of the societal issues we face these days,” the judge said. “That makes it profoundly sad.”

As part of the plea deal, Stafford was sentenced to at least 13 years in prison. Another teen was also arrested in connection with this incident, but there has been no word on where that case stands.


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