Platte City, MO – A 35-year-old Missouri man, Cordero T. Cervantes, has been charged with second-degree murder after allegedly coercing his then-girlfriend to kill her ex-lover, following a jealousy-fueled confrontation in June 2022, according to the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office. Prosecutors allege Cervantes manipulated and pressured his girlfriend, McKayla C. Archambeau, into shooting 31-year-old Taylor Hawkins behind a barn in Platte City.
The Incident: A Fatal Encounter Fueled by Jealousy
The deadly confrontation took place on a property along Oberdiek Lane in Platte City, a small town located about 25 miles northwest of Kansas City.
According to court documents, Taylor Hawkins had been in a brief relationship with Archambeau about a week before his death. When Cervantes discovered the affair, he allegedly became enraged and plotted revenge.
Witnesses told investigators that on the day of the shooting, Hawkins and Cervantes began arguing before walking behind a barn to “hash things out.” Moments later, a gunshot rang out…