Gang Member with Lengthy Arrest Record Charged with Murdering Pastor's Son at Church
An alleged gang member with a lengthy arrest record has been arrested in Florida and charged with the murder of a man in a church parking lot.
The victim, the son of the church’s pastor, did not know his alleged killer, and police have not been able to establish a connection between the two men.
According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, 20-year-old Roderick Wilson Jr. was found shot to death in the parking lot of the Pentecostal Church of God in the community of Winter Haven on Sunday morning.
His body was discovered at around 1:47 a.m.
The young man’s father is the pastor of the church, and Wilson lived in an apartment on the property.
According to investigators, Wilson died after he was shot multiple times.
By Sunday afternoon, police had arrested 22-year-old Taquion “Quan” Cotton for the slaying.
“PCSO deputies quickly arrived and found Wilson with multiple gunshot wounds, and deceased,” the sheriff’s office said. “PCSO Homicide Investigations and Crime Scene Investigations both responded and began collecting evidence and conducting interviews.”
Cotton, police said, lived in the neighborhood.
Investigators also said they were led to Cotton after a nearby camera captured the murder.
After he was spotted by officers, he allegedly fled into a nearby residence and assaulted a woman. Police said they found him holding the woman in a chokehold.
Police also said Cotton’s own mother attempted to help the woman and to assist them in arresting her son.
He then allegedly bit his mother.
“Cotton’s mother, who lives in the area, ran to the woman’s aid, and tried to assist deputies with apprehending her son. Cotton then began biting his mother, so deputies were forced to use a Taser on Cotton to protect the two women and get him secured,” the sheriff’s office said. “Once in custody, Cotton yelled at his mother, demanding that she not press charges against him for biting her.”
Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd vowed that a thorough investigation would result in justice for Wilson and his family.
“Detectives are still trying to determine Taquion Cotton’s motivation to commit this murder. At this time, there is no indication the two men knew each other prior to tonight,” Judd said.
Over the weekend, PCSO homicide detectives investigated the murder of 20-year old Roderick Wilson, Jr. in the Inwood area of Winter Haven.
22-year old Taquion “Quan” Cotton was arrested later that same day as he was battering his mother and another woman while trying to get away… pic.twitter.com/dzXmhYERcd
— Polk County Sheriff 🚔 Grady Judd (@PolkCoSheriff) October 23, 2023
The sheriff added, “Despite the murderer being locked-up, there is still work to be done. Please keep Roderick Wilson’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Judd also said of Wilson, “Roderick was a Christian boy, and he loved the Lord,” WEAR-TV reported.
The Polk County Sheriff’s Office is still searching for the firearm that was used in the murder of Wilson.
Cotton is charged with first-degree murder, burglary with battery, kidnapping, battery-domestic with a prior conviction, harassing in a felony proceeding and numerous other charges.
He has previously been convicted of 11 felonies and nine misdemeanors for crimes ranging from attempted murder to battery of a pregnant woman.
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