When Mark Taylor was sentenced for the kidnapping and murder of Alex Johnson in the summer of 2016, the Johnson family thought they wouldn't hear from their son's murderer until a parole hearing decades later.

Boy, were they wrong.

Taylor has pulled every legal string he can think of to appeal his conviction.  And using some "surprise" affidavits, he even asked an outgoing Kentucky governor for a pardon.

And, he ALMOST got it.