Conditional home confinement ordered for Cambridge man accused of machete attack during dominoes game

BOSTON, September 5, 2023 – A Cambridge man is being held on limited home confinement after being arraigned in Dorchester BMC last week on charges that he attacked two men with a machete during a game of dominoes in Dorchester on August 25, District Attorney Kevin Hayden announced.

ROY TAYLOR, 66, was arraigned on August 28 on two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (machete) and a single count of mayhem.  Judge Jonathan Tynes ordered Taylor held on $2,500 bail, and further ordered that he be fitted with a GPS tracking device and be confined to his home with the exception of specific work windows of Mondays from 6-10 p.m., Tuesdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Fridays from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Taylor will return to court November 7 for a pre-trial hearing.

At about 6:28 p.m. on Friday, August 25, Boston police responded to a call for a person stabbed at 190 Westview Street in Dorchester.  There they found a man bleeding from a cut to his face.  The man and another victim told police that Taylor got into an argument during a dominoes game, went to a while Lexus, removed a machete from the trunk, sliced the first victim in the face and chased the second victim around a car while swinging the machete.  Police noted blood on the sidewalk, street and two nearby cars.

Police sent out a BOLO (be on the lookout) for the car and the suspect.  Shortly after, Cambridge police stopped and apprehended Taylor.  The machete was found in a sink inside Taylor’s apartment and his clothes were confiscated by detectives.

Witnesses told police the argument centered on “who knows Kingston the best.”

“It’s outrageous that a summer evening game of dominoes could devolve into such shocking violence. The potential for more severe injuries, or worse, was certainly present here. Home confinement with conditions and GPS tracking is certainly warranted in this case,” Hayden said.

All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office serves the communities of Boston, Chelsea, Revere, and Winthrop, Mass. The office handles over 20,000 cases a year. More than 160 attorneys in the office practice in nine district and municipal courts, Suffolk Superior Court, the Massachusetts Appeals Court, the Supreme Judicial Court, and the Boston Juvenile Courts. The office employs some 300 people and offers a wide range of services and programs to serve anyone who comes in contact with the criminal justice system. This office is committed to educating the public about the services we provide, our commitment to crime prevention, and our dedication to keeping the residents of Suffolk County safe.

 James Borghesani, Chief of Communications