James Patrick Taylor (born 1 November 1961) was an Australian boy who disappeared at the age of 12 from Derby, Western Australia on 29 August 1974.
[4] In the late afternoon of 29 August 1974, Taylor had walked to a local shop called Lwoy's Deli to buy lollies and softdrinks for himself and his siblings.
[2] The family commenced searching for Taylor the following day and his father reported him missing at the Derby police station on 5 September 1974.
[2] In June 2013, Western Australia Police Special Crime Squad completed a report into Taylor's disappearance and suspected death, which was provided to the Office of the State Coroner.
[2] In June 2014, it was announced that the West Australian Coroner Barry King would hold an inquest into Taylor's disappearance at the Derby Court House in October 2014.
[2] O'Neill gave evidence during the inquest via videolink from the Tasmanian prison where he was serving his sentence, in which he denied any involvement with Taylor's disappearance.
[4][10] Taylor's sister Lyn Henderson-Yates accused the police of failing to properly investigate her brother's disappearance and as well as the potential involvement of James Ryan O'Neill.
[5] Writing in The Stringer, social justice advocate Gerry Georgatos described "he had gone walkabout" attitude from the Western Australia Police Force as "racist bullshit".