James Shirah was sentenced Monday to at least 30 years in prison for the death of Terry Taylor Jr. after a Genesee County judge told the 24-year-old defendant, “Mr. Shirah, I believe that you are not a criminal. You are, however, a killer.”
Shirah, who was married earlier on Aug. 30, 2024, cried as he addressed the court in Flint, Michigan, saying, “The only thing I can do for the rest of my life is express my apology and remorse.... I will forever be sorry.”
The sentencing closes a case that began with a wedding day turned deadly. After Shirah and Savanah Collier were married, the celebration moved to a house, where prosecutors say an alcohol-fueled argument escalated into violence. Later that day, Shirah drove when his vehicle struck Taylor in Flint, killing him. Flint is about an hour's drive northwest of Detroit.
In April 2026, Shirah pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and other offenses. Under Monday’s sentence in Genesee County court, he will be eligible for parole after 30 years.
Prosecutors said Shirah had already left the scene and had time to reflect before returning and striking Taylor again, a sequence they argued showed more than a momentary loss of control. Shirah’s attorney said the crash was not intentional, pressing the judge to view the killing as something other than a planned attack.
The sentence leaves the court with a clear answer on punishment, even if the arguments over intent will linger in the public record: Shirah will spend decades in prison for a death that unfolded on the day he got married, and the man killed in the crash will not come home.
