Man charged, after woman claims she was pressured to shoot in Platte Co. killing
An Indianapolis man is facing a murder charge after a woman who admitted to firing the fatal shots in a rural Platte County homicide told authorities he allegedly pressured her to pull the trigger, prosecutors said.
Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Erik Zahnd announced that 35-year-old Cordero T. Cervantes has been charged with second-degree murder in the killing of 31-year-old Taylor Hawkins of Platte City in 2022.
Prosecutors allege Cervantes acted with 25-year-old McKayla C. Archambeau of Parkville in the killing of Hawkins.
“This was a brutal and senseless killing,” Zahnd said in a news release. “We allege this defendant (Cervantes) played a direct role in the death of another man, and then fled the state to avoid justice.”
The charges follow a lengthy investigation by the Platte County Sheriff’s Office, Zahnd said.
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According to court documents, Platte County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported shooting in the 28000 block of Oberdiek Lane, a rural stretch surrounded by farmland. Deputies found Hawkins dead of gunshot wounds in the yard of a home.
A witness told deputies that Cervantes, Archambeau and Hawkins went behind a barn on the property, and moments later, they heard gunshots. The witness said he heard Hawkins shout, “No! Why’d you do it?”
Cervantes then came from behind the barn, allegedly with a “smile on his face,” the witness said.
Court documents allege that Cervantes encouraged Archambeau to shoot Hawkins after arguments about her prior relationship with Hawkins, according to the news release.
Cervantes and Archambeau fled Missouri following the shooting. On July 7, 2022, they were arrested in Carlisle, Arkansas, and the 2012 Ford Focus they had stolen was recovered.
They were indicted, with Archambeau being charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action for shooting Hawkins. She was also charged with tampering with a motor vehicle and tampering with evidence for stealing the Ford and wiping down the car to conceal evidence.
Cervantes was charged with tampering with a motor vehicle and tampering with evidence. In October 2024, Cervantes pleaded guilty to tampering with a motor vehicle, and prosecutors dismissed the other charge. A judge sentenced Cervantes to four years in prison, but suspended execution of the sentence and placed him on probation for five years.
On Aug. 22, Archambeau pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with a motor vehicle, and tampering with evidence for her role in the killing. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 14.
In mid-September, Archambeau was questioned about a letter she had written. Archambeau allegedly said she wrote to another inmate about how, when she cheated on Cervantes, he allegedly “was mad and made me kill him,” meaning Hawkins, according to court documents.
Archambeau said Cervantes allegedly kept making comments about how Hawkins “needs to go.” Archambeau said Cervantes pressured her to shoot Hawkins and ordered her to “finish him” after the first shot.
Cervantes then rummaged through Hawkins’ pockets as he was dying, according to court documents.
A warrant has been issued for Cervantes, who is not in custody. He was ordered to be held without bond.
