Police in St. Petersburg, Florida, found the body of the man’s 2-year-old son in the mouth of an alligator a few days after the child’s mother was stabbed to death. The 21-year-old man has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
A police spokesperson, Yolanda Fernandez, said in a press release that Taylen Mosley was reported missing when his mother, Pashun Jeffery, 20, was found stabbed to death in her apartment on Thursday.
Friday, the St. Petersburg police took their investigation to Dell Holmes Park and Lake Maggiore, which is right next to the park. St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway said at a press conference that while searching the area, detectives saw an alligator with something in its mouth.
When police shot at the alligator, it dropped the object, which Holloway said was later found to be the body of Taylen Mosley. The chief said that his body was found in one piece and that the alligator had been killed.
Holloway said, “We didn’t want to find him this way.” “But at least we can give that family some peace of mind.”
The chief says that Thomas Mosley, Taylen’s father, is charged with first-degree murder for both Jeffery and Taylen. Mosley is 21 years old. Police say that Mosley is in the hospital right now getting treatment for minor injuries.
An arrest affidavit says that Mosley came to his mother’s house on Wednesday with cuts on his arms. He had spent the day before celebrating his birthday at Jeffery’s house.
The affidavit said that his arm was hurt because he lost his grip on the knife during the attack.
According to the complaint, Jeffery’s family went to check on her on Thursday and saw blood on the sidewalk near her apartment. The affidavit says that her body had more than 100 stab wounds.
The arrest affidavit says that Mosley’s bloody fingerprint was found on a cleaning bottle under a bed in Jeffery’s apartment. A bloody shoe print with the Gucci logo was also found in the same place.
The cause of death for 2-year-old Taylen has not been found yet.
