OAKLAND — A man has pleaded no contest to killing his best friend when they were both working as volunteers for his aunt’s church, court records show.
For his no contest plea to voluntary manslaughter, 46-year-old Lamont Taylor will receive an eight-year prison sentence. The outcome of Taylor’s co-defendant’s case is shrouded in mystery; Antoine Brewer, 48, pleaded no contest to accessory last March for allegedly helping Taylor dump the victim’s body, but the details of his plea agreement are being kept a secret by a judge’s sealing order, court records show.
Brewer was released from jail after pleading no contest and told to report to probation. All other details were sealed, court records show.
According to police, Taylor shot and killed Shawn Wayne Bell on Dec. 4, 2024. A bail motion filed by Taylor’s lawyer says that Bell and Taylor were close if not “best” friends who were volunteering at Taylor’s aunt’s church and planned to sleep there after they finished doing yard work and cleaning.
Instead, Taylor’s lawyer says, Bell attacked Taylor, forcing him to act “in self-defense to protect himself from Mr. Bell.” Taylor shot and killed Bell, then he and Brewer loaded Bell’s body into a 1994 Chevrolet truck and dumped it on the 2300 block of Campbell Street in Oakland, according to court records.
The idea that Bell would attack his longtime friend was predictable, according to the defense motion, which says that Bell had a history of erratic and violent behavior, fueled by mental illness. This included peeping into a neighbor’s window and slashing her tires, the motion says.
Taylor had a pending case for allegedly walking from the scene of a 2024 crash at the time of the homicide. In that case, he was seriously injured, and found walking the streets of Oakland covered in blood, according to court records. Support letters from Taylor’s family describe him as loving and caring.
“He is the glue that holds our family together. Without him, we all feel like something essential is missing. His presence brings us stability, calm, and unity,” Taylor’s son wrote in one letter. “Since his incarceration, I’ve felt lost at times — like the one person who always had the answers, who always knew how to keep us grounded, is suddenly out of reach.”
Sentencing has been set for Nov. 20, court records show. He remains at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin with a no bail hold.