Detective Chief Supt Bob Taylor: The 'big bear of a Yorkshireman' who solved all but one of his 150 murder cases
Of the 150 murder cases he worked on, only one remains unsolved.
In his time Taylor headed some of the UK’s most high profile operations, including the hunt for the Keighley kidnapper, extortionist, rapist and murderer Michael Sams.
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Hide AdThe only son of Eric and Marion Taylor who ran a small plumbing business in Leeds, Taylor said he did not know what made him sign up to what was then the Leeds City Police one Saturday in January 1970.


As PC Robert Taylor 1008 he spent a couple of years in uniform but aspired to join the Criminal Investigation Department. Early years spent as a detective sergeant on the Peter Sutcliffe case taught him to listen to junior officers rather than those who led the five year hunt.
His philosophy, he said, was to eliminate the obvious, then contemplate the ridiculous. It served him well.
His dedication extended not only to locking up the perpetrators of crime but also supporting the victims and their families.
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Hide AdTracey Millington-Jones, whose mother Wendy Speakes was raped and murdered 30 years ago in Wakefield and who has campaigned against parole for the killer Christopher Farrow, was among those paying tribute.
Describing Taylor as “a big bear of a Yorkshireman”, she said “he came into my life during the darkest of times. He treated me with respect and empathy, reassuring me he would find the person responsible.
“But Bob did not stop there. He since supported me through every parole hearing, was at my side as we campaigned to keep Farrow behind bars. Bob was more than a detective – he was a source of strength and a friend when I needed one most.”
After years on the front line Taylor left CID to become head of operations for the National Crime Squad.
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Hide AdOn his retirement he enjoyed a high profile media career, appearing in many documentaries and a BBC TV series, The Murder Game. He also wrote an autobiography, Crime Buster, giving insights into some of the country’s most notorious criminals.
“On camera, he had a face that had the kind of lines you don’t get from sitting behind a desk,” recalled TV producer Andrew Sheldon, “presenting as tough, gruff and sharp, but also deeply human, with a turn of phrase everyone related to. It made the public believe he would bring bad people to justice.”
Taylor is survived by three children from his first marriage and twin sons from his second; and by seven grandchildren and a sister.