Police Arrest 4 In Sean Taylor Murder
Men In Custody In Fort Myers Area
MIAMI (CBS) ― Police have arrested four people in the Fort Myers area in the death of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor.
Miami-Dade police department spokeswoman Linda O'Brien identified the men as: Venjah K. Hunte, 20; Eric Rivera Jr., 17; Jason Scott Mitchell, 17; and Charles Kendrick Lee Wardlow, 18.
At a news conference, Miami-Dade police director Robert Parker said the men entered the residence and shot Taylor. Officials said they're looking into whether one or more of the suspects had previously broken into Taylor's home. They apparently believed the home was empty at the time of the shooting.
"Let me make this clear: they were certainly not looking to go there and kill anyone. They were expecting a residence that was not occupied," Parker said. He added police have more than one confession in the case.
Parker said tips from the public were "absolutely key" to cracking the case.
Parker announced that murder will be the strongest charge leveled against the suspects, but determination of charges was still pending. "Who cares what they went there for. They're going to be charged with murder," he said.
The Miami Herald, which first reported the development on its Web site, said investigators believe the suspects learned of Taylor's house through someone who unwittingly set up the burglary by bragging about his wealth. The suspects include two teenagers and a man in his 20s, all from the Fort Myers area, the paper reported.
A telephone message left at the Florida City Police Department for the slain safety's father, Chief Pedro Taylor, was not immediately returned.
Richard Sharpstein, a former Taylor lawyer and family friend, confirmed the law enforcement report.
"It's my understanding that three individuals are in custody. A house is being searched," Sharpstein said, without disclosing who had given him the information.
He repeated previous statements that the burglary did not appear to be random and that the 24-year-old's house had been targeted.
Taylor's teammates and friends were measured in responding to this latest development.
"I can't get excited or get my hopes up hoping these are the guys until we know for sure," said running back Clinton Portis. "Everybody wants to know why. It's still not gonna bring back Sean. It will still take a great guy away from the world."
Said receiver Santana Moss: "If those are the guys, I just hope that they'll just be dealt with properly. I feel there's nothing much I can say about it. It's no anger I can express to them. What's done is done."
Evidence at Taylor's home indicated one or more intruders barged into the house early Monday in an attempted burglary, Miami-Dade police director Robert Parker said Wednesday.
Taylor and longtime girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, were awakened by loud noises at Taylor's home in an affluent Miami suburb, Sharpstein has said. Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection, Sharpstein said, then someone broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor in the upper leg. Neither the couple's 18-month-old daughter, also named Jackie, nor Garcia were injured in the attack.
The bullet damaged the femoral artery in Taylor's leg, causing significant blood loss. Taylor never regained consciousness and died a little more than 24 hours later.
Actor Andy Garcia, the uncle of Taylor's girlfriend, called Taylor a hero.
Garcia told the Miami Herald that Taylor's "heroic action on that tragic night saved their life and is a testament to his humanity and courage."
cbs3.com - Suspects Arrested In Sean Taylor Shooting Death
Then Mediatakeout.com reports this:
November 30, 2007. MediaTakeOut.com has learned that detectives from the Miami-Dade Police Department believe that Sean Taylor's brother and sister may have been indirectly involved in the NFL star's killing.
Authorities claim that Taylor lavished money and presents on his brother and sister. And the two shared the wealth with suspects now detained in connection with Taylor's murder. Additionally, officials believe Taylor's siblings may have bragged all of the expensive items inside his Miami home.
MediaTakeOut.com™ 2007 - SHOCKING UPDATE: Police Claims That SEAN TAYLORS' Siblings May Be Involved In HIS MURDER!!!