North Carolina man accused of killing mother, two young children arrested near Salvation Mountain – KESQ

A suspect in a triple murder case out of North Carolina was arrested over the weekend near Salvation Mountain in Imperial County.

Benjamin Joseph Taylor, 35, has been wanted for the murder of a mother and her two children earlier this month in Charlotte, North Carolina. Taylor was located and arrested in Imperial County on Saturday, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department announced.

The Calexico Chronicle reports, citing the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office activity log, that Taylor was taken into custody in an area of campsites between Salvation Mountain and Slab City.

Taylor has been charged with three counts of Murder and one count of Concealment of Death. He remains in custody in Imperial County awaiting extradition.

The remains of 22-year-old Markayla Johnson, 4-year-old Miracle Johnson, and 7-month-old Messiah Johnson were discovered inside their apartment on March 15. They were reported missing since March 3.

According to our ABC affiliate, WSOC-TV, Johnson and her two children were originally reported missing on March 3. A wellness check was conducted on March 6, but there were no signs of anyone in the apartment.

There was no word on what the relationship was between Taylor and Johnson. Investigators previously said they were looking for a suspect who may have been Johnson’s boyfriend.

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