A man who tended and cared for Young Dolph‘s death scene-turned memorial has passed away, Fox 13 reported. According to authorities, Jeremiah Taylor was shot and killed in the Getwell Road area of Memphis last Friday morning (Feb. 25). His body was discovered by police who responded to calls of a car collision.
Taylor had assumed the responsibility of maintaining the area outside the bakery where Dolph was fatally shot in November. In the wake of the rapper’s passing, the site became a memorial site filled with posters, flowers and artwork honoring his life and legacy. Taylor — who grew up in the same neighborhood and went to the same school as Dolph — frequented the memorial daily for at least 15 minutes each visit. In his feature on ABC, the caretaker explained that he started upkeep “just for my mental health,” and continued on with hopes to let Dolph’s fans know he was cherished by his native community.
“I want people around the world to know we care about Dolph,” Taylor said back in January. “The love he had with people. A lot of people are realizing and now seeing the person that he always was. Taking care of his community, being a philanthropist and really promoting financial independence. [It’s] a moral that he taught.”
According to the local news station, the Memphis Police Department is still in search of the gunman behind Taylor’s death. They have enlisted help from the public for possible information that may lead to any arrests in the case. In the meantime, local community activist Frank Gottie wants people to remember his friend as a benevolent person.
“Jeremiah was a great person,” said Gottie, who helped with the memorial site’s upkeep. “He was so creative. He was so on point. He was helpful, he would help anybody.”