Proceedings resumed this year after treatment and evaluations addressed whether Maye could understand the case and assist her attorney.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A murder case delayed by questions about a defendant’s competency is moving toward trial after Pammy Maye rejected a plea agreement in the death of 5-year-old Darnell Taylor.
Maye, 50, is scheduled for a jury trial beginning Nov. 9 in Franklin County Common Pleas Court. She faces one count of aggravated murder, one count of abuse of a corpse and three counts of tampering with evidence. She has pleaded not guilty, and the allegations have not been proven.
The trial date became the next major step after Maye declined a prosecution offer during a brief hearing Friday. The agreement would have required her to plead guilty to aggravated murder and abuse of a corpse while prosecutors dismissed the three tampering counts. Her attorney, Sam Shamansky, told the judge that Maye understood the offer and preferred a trial.
The decision followed a long pause in the proceedings. A court found Maye incompetent to stand trial in 2025. That finding meant the case could not continue while questions remained about whether she understood the charges and could work with her defense lawyer. After treatment and further evaluation, a judge found her competent in April 2026.
A competency decision is separate from a determination of guilt or innocence. It addresses a defendant’s present ability to understand the legal process and assist with a defense. It does not decide whether the defendant committed the charged conduct or establish what mental state the person had when the alleged crime occurred.
Maye’s conduct again drew attention during Friday’s hearing when she stood and repeatedly shouted a religious statement. Court personnel escorted her from the room. The hearing continued through her attorney, who communicated her rejection of the plea offer. No new competency finding was announced during the proceeding, and the trial remained scheduled.
The case began after Taylor disappeared in February 2024. Authorities said the child had been placed with Maye and was living in her Columbus home. Maye’s husband called 911 shortly after 3 a.m. on Feb. 14 and reported that she had said she harmed the boy. Police issued an Amber Alert and began searching for Maye and Taylor.
Investigators said Maye left Columbus and traveled toward the Cleveland area. Police found her abandoned vehicle in Brooklyn, Ohio, on the morning of Feb. 14. Officers arrested her the next evening after receiving a report about a woman near a business. Police said information obtained after her arrest directed investigators back to Columbus.
Officers recovered Taylor’s body from a storm drain early on Feb. 16. Prosecutors accuse Maye of killing the child, placing his body in the drain and taking steps to conceal evidence. Authorities have not publicly established a motive, and Maye is presumed innocent unless a jury finds her guilty.
Early in the case, a judge set Maye’s bond at $4 million. Prosecutors also discussed her history of mental illness during a 2024 court appearance. A diagnosis alone does not determine competency, criminal responsibility or guilt, and the defense strategy for trial has not been publicly detailed.
With competency restored and the plea offer declined, attorneys are expected to prepare the case for jury selection and testimony. The trial is set for Nov. 9, although court schedules can change if the judge grants additional motions or continuances.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 1, 2026.