A 22-year-old Florida man is behind bars after he reportedly shot and killed another man early Sunday morning in Winter Haven, according to reports.
Taquion Cotton is facing numerous charges, including first-degree murder.
At around 1:47 a.m., a person saw a man’s body – later identified as 20-year-old Roderick Wilson Jr. – lying on the ground with gunshot wounds in the parking lot of Pentecostal Church of God located on 24th Street Northwest, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Speaking during a news conference Monday afternoon, Sheriff Grady Judd said Wilson had been living in an apartment on the church’s property as his father is a pastor there.
“He was a good kid, he works at the church for his dad,” Judd said. “He’s just a solid young man.”
Before Wilson’s body was found, Judd said surveillance video showed Cotton drive up to the church and begin arguing with the pastor’s son.
“There was some pushing and talking and [Wilson] pulled his jacket off, then [Cotton] drove away,” the sheriff said. “Video shows that [Cotton] drove back and in the parking lot of the church, he and Wilson had further words.”
That’s when Cotton shot and killed Wilson, according to Judd.
After receiving the report of Wilson’s body being found in the parking lot, deputies said they began to collect evidence and conduct interviews. That’s how they were able to identify the car Cotton was in.
Judd said detectives began to talk to Cotton’s mother and she cooperated with authorities. She also gave the sheriff’s office leads on where he may possibly be.
Later that afternoon, authorities saw the 22-year-old in the roadway not far away from the church’s parking lot. However, Cotton ran to a nearby home after he saw a woman entering it.
The accused killer reportedly beat the woman and “put her in a chokehold” to try and get into her home.
Cotton’s mother, who lives in the area, went to help the injured woman and also helped deputies detain her son, the sheriff’s office said. Cotton reportedly bit his mother, leading deputies to use a taser on him as a way to keep the two women safe and contain the 22-year-old.
“Detectives are still trying to determine Taquion Cotton’s motivation to commit this murder,” Judd said in a statement. “At this time, there is no indication the two men knew each other prior to tonight.
“Despite the murderer being locked up, there is still work to be done. Please keep Roderick Wilson’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
The Polk County sheriff added that Cotton and Wilson lived in the Inwood area only a 1/4 mile from each other, but there is currently no evidence that shows they had any sort of relationship. However, authorities say they encourage the public to come forward and speak about whether the two knew each other.
Cotton was arrested and also charged with kidnapping, battery-domestic with prior conviction, harassing in a felony proceeding, resisting with violence, tampering with physical evidence and discharging a firearm in a residential area.
Deputies say they have not yet found the gun Cotton used to shoot and kill Wilson. A $5,000 reward is being offered by the sheriff’s office to anyone who can give them the firearm used in the murder.
Anyone with additional information regarding the deadly incident is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 863-298-6200. To remain anonymous, call Heartland Crime Stoppers at 1-800-226-TIPS.
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