Murders of Oluwatoyin Salau and Victoria Sims
Double-murder in 2020
Murders of Oluwatoyin Salau and Victoria Sims | |
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Location | Tallahassee , Florida , U.S. |
Date | June 13, 2020 ; 3 years ago ( 2020-06-13 ) |
Attack type
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Double-murder by ligature strangulation , rape , kidnapping |
Victims |
Oluwatoyin Ruth "Toyin" Salau (aged 19)
Victoria "Vicki" Sims (aged 75) |
Motive | Attempt to avoid arrest for previous sexual assault |
Accused | Aaron Lee Glee, Jr. ( confessed ) |
Verdict | Suspect awaiting trial |
Charges |
|
On June 13, 2020, two community activists local to the Tallahassee area, 19-year old Oluwatoyin Salau and 75-year old Victoria Sims, were found murdered in Tallahassee, Florida .
The suspect, Aaron Glee Jr., who was 49 at the time of the murders, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and felony murder among other charges. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty .
Oluwatoyin Salau
Oluwatoyin Salau
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Salau in 2020
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Born |
Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau
[1]
( 2000-08-27 ) August 27, 2000 [1]
Tallahassee, Florida
, U.S.
|
Died |
June 13, 2020
(2020-06-13)
(aged
19)
Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
|
Cause of death | Murder by ligature strangulation |
Resting place | Oakland Cemetery |
Education | Lincoln High School |
Salau was born on August 27, 2000, in Tallahassee, Florida . [2] She was a Nigerian-American , [3] [4] A devout Christian , she was the youngest member of her church choir whilst growing up. [2]
Salau attended Buck Lake Elementary School and Swift Creek Middle School in Tallahassee, [2] and graduated from Lincoln High School in 2018. [5] Following graduation, she studied cosmetology at Lively Technical College , simultaneously starting her business in hairdressing and modeling. [2] In 2019, Salau enrolled at Tallahassee Community College while still at Lively, intending to study law at Florida A&M University thereafter. [2]
Salau disappeared on Saturday, June 6, 2020, shortly after tweeting about being sexually assaulted. Salau was found murdered in Tallahassee, Florida , on Saturday, June 13, 2020, [6] [7] [8] and her death was confirmed on Monday, June 15, 2020. [8]
Salau was an active participant in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Tallahassee, Florida, described as an "emerging leader" [9] and "prominent voice" [10] in the movement. She had advocated on behalf of Tony McDade in particular. [9]
Salau's disappearance and discovery of bodies
Oluwatoyin @virgingrltoyin Anyways I was molested in Tallahassee, Florida by a black man this morning at 5:30 on Richview and Park Ave. The man offered to give me a ride to find someplace to sleep and recollect my belongings from a church I refuged to a couple days back to escape unjust living conditions.
June 6, 2020 [11]
Shortly before her disappearance, on June 6, 2020, she tweeted that she was sexually assaulted by a black man after he offered to give her a ride back to a church where she sought refuge because of unjust living conditions. [12] She was last seen alive on June 10, 2020. [13]
After a search by community residents, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, and Tallahassee Police Department, [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] her body was found on June 14, 2020 [7] [19] around 9:15 pm local time near Monday Road in southeastern Tallahassee. [20] Salau's body was discovered with that of Victoria Sims, a 75-year-old who had been active in local politics. [20] [21]
Salau was buried at Oakland Cemetery in Tallahassee. [4]
Suspect
The suspect in Salau and Sims's deaths, Aaron Glee Jr., was arrested in Orlando, Florida during the early hours of June 14 and charged with murder and kidnapping. [18] Glee later confessed to the murder and rape of Salau. [22]
The bodies of Salau and Sims were found near his rental home in Tallahassee the night before. He had been arrested previously, less than a month prior, for aggravated battery after a police officer saw him kicking a woman in the stomach when she refused his sexual advances. [23]
In January 2023, Glee rejected a proposed plea deal by the prosecution for a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole instead of the death penalty as they had originally sought. As of August 2023, case is still awaiting trial. [24]
Reaction
'' RIP Toyin '' and '' Toyin '' trended on Twitter alongside the hashtag #JusticeForToyin after the news went out that Salau's body had been found. [6] [19] [25] Abike Dabiri , chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission called on the U.S. Government to ensure a thorough investigation of Salau's murder. [3]
References
- 1 2 "Obituary for Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau at Tillman Funeral Home Tallahassee" . Tillman Funeral Home . Archived from the original on June 18, 2020 . Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Obituary for Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau" . Legacy.com . Tallahassee Democrat . June 24, 2020. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020 . Retrieved July 9, 2020 .
- 1 2 "Nigeria Urges US To Probe Murder Of Nigerian-American Activist Toyin Salau" . Sahara Reporters . June 16, 2020. Archived from the original on June 16, 2020 . Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
- 1 2 Hassanein, Nada (June 28, 2020). "At her funeral, loved ones gather to remember 'bright, resilient' Oluwatoyin Salau" . Tallahassee Democrat . Retrieved July 9, 2020 .
- ↑ Wheeler, Emma (June 16, 2020). "Friends remember Black Lives Matter activist Toyin Salau" . WCTV . Retrieved June 18, 2020 .
- 1 2 McBride, Jessica (June 13, 2020). "Oluwatoyin Salau: Tallahassee, Florida Black Lives Matter Protester Was Missing" . Heavy.com . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
- 1 2 "Black Lives Matter activist Oluwatoyin Salau, 19, reportedly found dead after tweet" . Al Arabiya English . June 15, 2020 . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
-
1
2
Hassanein, Nada (June 15, 2020).
"Florida protester Oluwatoyin Salau, 19, found dead in Tallahassee after going missing"
.
USA TODAY
. Retrieved
June 15,
2020
.
{{ cite news }}
: CS1 maint: url-status ( link ) -
1
2
Stieb, Matt (June 16, 2020).
"Everything We Know About the Death of Black Lives Matter Activist Oluwatoyin Salau"
.
New York Magazine Intelligencer
. Retrieved
June 16,
2020
.
{{ cite news }}
: CS1 maint: url-status ( link ) -
↑
Nieto del Rio, Giulia McDonnell (June 15, 2020).
"Oluwatoyin Salau, Missing Black Lives Matter Activist, Is Found Dead"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
June 16,
2020
.
{{ cite news }}
: CS1 maint: url-status ( link ) - ↑ Oluwatoyin [@virgingrltoyin] (June 6, 2020). "Anyways I was molested in Tallahassee, Florida by a black man this morning at 5:30 on Richview and Park Ave. The man offered to give me a ride to find someplace to sleep and recollect my belongings from a church I refuged to a couple days back to escape unjust living conditions" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ↑ Hassanein, Nada. "Black Lives Matter protestor in Florida still missing after tweeting about sexual assault" . USA TODAY . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
-
↑
Hassanein, Nada (June 15, 2020).
"Florida protester Oluwatoyin Salau killed in Tallahassee after going missing"
.
The Tallahassee Democrat
. Retrieved
June 16,
2020
.
{{ cite news }}
: CS1 maint: url-status ( link ) - ↑ "Black Lives Matter protester in Florida missing after tweeting about sexual assault" . Washington Examiner . June 12, 2020 . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
- ↑ Hassanein, Nada. "Tallahassee police, demonstrators still searching for missing Black Lives Matter protester" . Tallahassee Democrat . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
- ↑ "TPD searching for missing 19-year-old activist last seen Saturday" . WTXL . June 10, 2020 . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
- ↑ Kaplan, Katie (June 11, 2020). "Tallahassee residents gather to look for missing activist" . www.wctv.tv . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
-
1
2
Deliso, Meredith (June 16, 2020).
"Suspect charged with murder, kidnapping in Oluwatoyin Salau case"
.
ABC News
. Retrieved
June 17,
2020
.
{{ cite news }}
: CS1 maint: url-status ( link ) - 1 2 "Oluwatoyin Salau: #JusticeForToyin trends after sexually assaulted 19-year-old BLM protester found dead" . meaww.com . Retrieved June 15, 2020 .
-
1
2
Jefferson, J'na (June 15, 2020).
"Death of Oluwatoyin Salau: What We Know So Far"
.
The Root
. Retrieved
June 15,
2020
.
{{ cite news }}
: CS1 maint: url-status ( link ) -
↑
Amber Roberson and Grace Pateras (June 15, 2020).
"Protester Oluwatoyin Salau, AARP volunteer Vicki Sims found dead: What we know so far"
.
Tallahassee Democrat
. Retrieved
June 15,
2020
.
Tallahassee Police identified the suspect in the case as Aaron Glee Jr., 49. He is in police custody.
-
↑
Burlew, Jeff (July 5, 2020).
"Aaron Glee has been charged with murders of Oluwatoyin Salau and Vicki Sims in Florida. He 'would have killed again,' experts say"
.
Tallahassee Democrat
. Retrieved
July 14,
2020
.
{{ cite news }}
: CS1 maint: url-status ( link ) - ↑ Roberson, Amber (June 16, 2020). "Man arrested in deaths of activist Oluwatoyin Salau and volunteer Vicki Sims in Florida: What we know" . USA Today .
- ↑ "Man accused of murdering two Tallahassee women backs out of guilty plea, insists on trial" .
- ↑ "Tallahassee Model and Black Lives Matter Activist Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau Found Slain After Going Missing" . Glitter Magazine . June 15, 2020 . Retrieved June 17, 2020 .