SAGUACHE — Dustin Ferguson, 37, who was convicted of committing murder in the second degree, a class two felony, plus a crime of violence, was sentenced by District Judge Amanda Hopkins last week to serve 30 years in the Department of Corrections for the murder of 41-year-old Brian Taylor. In his sentence, Ferguson was given credit for 695 days served.
The sentence was delivered just shy of two years after Taylor was murdered in February of 2022.
According to the arresting documents obtained by the Valley Courier from the clerk of the court, at 10:30 p.m. on Feb. 23, 2022, Saguache County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies were dispatched to a residence on County Road LL57 in Villa Grove in response to a reported stabbing.
The person who called the office was actually a neighbor calling on behalf of David Jackman, the owner and resident of the house who had fled the scene after witnessing the incident. Jackman named Ferguson as the suspect.
When deputies arrived at the house, Hansen reported seeing blood on the storm door to the residence. The door was locked.
He then looked through a window and saw the body of a man — later identified as Taylor — inside the house. Deputies announced their presence and forced entry into the house where they found Taylor on the floor, showing no signs of life. The deputy reported seeing that Taylor had apparently been stabbed several times in his back, head and neck.
A deputy went in pursuit of Ferguson, who was still in the area, ultimately taking him into custody without incident. In his report, a deputy states he saw several cuts on Ferguson’s hand that “were not actively bleeding.” Ferguson was then transported to the sheriff’s office in the custody of another deputy with SCSO.
A deputy then spoke to Jackman who said that Ferguson was his roommate. Taylor, who had reportedly worked with both Jackman and Ferguson in the past, had come to Jackman’s house when his car had “broken down” nearby.
The three men were reportedly drinking a beer when, according to Jackman, Ferguson made it apparent he did not like Taylor. Jackman then witnessed Ferguson stabbing Taylor, at which point Jackman fled from the house and ran to the neighbor’s residence where the sheriff’s office was called.
“I’m hoping now as a family we can heal, as well the town of Villa Groove, and all the others affected by this sad tragedy,” said a family member who reached out to the Valley Courier following the sentencing.
