Murders of Oluwatoyin Salau and Victoria Sims
-
- Oluwatoyin Ruth "Toyin" Salau (aged 19)
- Victoria "Vicki" Sims (aged 75)
- Premeditated first-degree murder (x2)
- Felony murder (x2)
- Kidnapping with intent to terrorize
- Sexual battery
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. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping to avoid the death penalty, which the prosecution sought. However, Glee was sentenced to life in prison on September 22, 2023.[1]
Oluwatoyin Salau
Oluwatoyin Salau | |
---|---|
![]() Salau in 2020 | |
Born | Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau[2] (2000-08-27)August 27, 2000[2] 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.[3] She was Nigerian-American.[4][5] A devout Christian, she was the youngest member of her church choir whilst growing up.[3]
Salau attended Buck Lake Elementary School and Swift Creek Middle School in Tallahassee,[3] and graduated from Lincoln High School in 2018.[6] Following graduation, she studied cosmetology at Lively Technical College, simultaneously starting her business in hairdressing and modeling.[3] In 2019, Salau enrolled at Tallahassee Community College while still at Lively, intending to study law at Florida A&M University thereafter.[3]
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,[7][8][9] and her death was confirmed on Monday, June 15, 2020.[9]
Salau was an active participant in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Tallahassee, Florida, described as an "emerging leader"[10] and "prominent voice"[11] in the movement. She had advocated on behalf of Tony McDade in particular.[10]
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[12]
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.[13][14] She was last seen alive on June 10, 2020.[15]
After a search by community residents, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, and Tallahassee Police Department,[16][17][18][19][20] her body was found on June 14, 2020[8] around 9:15 pm local time near Monday Road in southeastern Tallahassee.[21] Salau's body was discovered with that of Victoria Sims, a 75-year-old who had been active in local politics.[21][22] Sims' home was found vandalized.[23]
Salau was buried at Oakland Cemetery in Tallahassee.[5]
Accused
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.[20] Glee later confessed to the murder and rape of Salau.[24]
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.[25]
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.[26] He later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping. On September 22, 2023, Glee was sentenced to life in prison.[1]
Reaction
''RIP Toyin'' and ''Toyin'' trended on Twitter alongside the hashtag #JusticeForToyin after the news went out that Salau's body had been found.[7][27] Abike Dabiri, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission called on the U.S. Government to ensure a thorough investigation of Salau's murder.[4]
See also
- List of kidnappings
- List of solved missing person cases
References
- ^ a b Barrera, Elena. "Aaron Glee gets life in prison after families 'torn apart' by brutal double murder". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved September 26, 2023.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b c d e "Obituary for Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau". Legacy.com. Tallahassee Democrat. June 24, 2020. Archived from the original on July 9, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
- ^ a b "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.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ a b McBride, Jessica (June 13, 2020). "Oluwatoyin Salau: Tallahassee, Florida Black Lives Matter Protester Was Missing". Heavy.com. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ a b "Black Lives Matter activist Oluwatoyin Salau, 19, reportedly found dead after tweet". Al Arabiya English. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ a b Hassanein, Nada (June 15, 2020). "Florida protester Oluwatoyin Salau, 19, found dead in Tallahassee after going missing". USA TODAY. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ a b 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Teen Black Activist Oluwatoyin Salau Confirmed Dead". The Daily Dot. June 15, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b Deliso, Meredith (June 16, 2020). "Suspect charged with murder, kidnapping in Oluwatoyin Salau case". ABC News. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- ^ a b Jefferson, J'na (June 15, 2020). "Death of Oluwatoyin Salau: What We Know So Far". The Root. Retrieved June 15, 2020.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Tallahassee police release update in Salau, Sims double homicide". USA Today. June 16, 2020. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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 Democrat. January 31, 2023.
- ^ "Tallahassee Model and Black Lives Matter Activist Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau Found Slain After Going Missing". Glitter Magazine. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
- v
- t
- e
- Melina Abdullah
- Tay Anderson
- Cat Brooks
- Cori Bush
- Gwen Carr
- Benjamin Crump
- Patrisse Cullors
- Aalayah Eastmond
- Johnetta Elzie
- Bruce Franks Jr.
- Darnella Frazier
- Erica Garner
- Alicia Garza
- Elle Hearns
- Sandy Hudson
- Blair Imani
- Natalie Aleta Jackson
- Marissa Johnson
- Sasha Johnson
- Jari Jones
- Tishaura Jones
- Mariame Kaba
- Colin Kaepernick
- Brittany Kamai
- Janaya Khan
- Shaun King
- Nekima Levy Armstrong
- Eva Lewis
- Tamika Mallory
- Philip McHarris
- DeRay Mckesson
- Muhiyidin Moye
- Bree Newsome
- Nikkita Oliver
- Ijeoma Oluo
- Brittany Packnett Cunningham
- Eugene Puryear
- Teressa Raiford
- Jen Reid
- Linda Sarsour
- Al Sharpton
- Samuel Sinyangwe
- Nova Stevens
- Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor
- John Thompson
- Ayọ Tometi
- Assa Traoré
- Syrus Marcus Ware
- Protests in New York City
- List of George Floyd protests
- List of Daunte Wright protests
2009–2011 | |
---|---|
2012–2013 | |
2014 | |
2015 | |
2016 | |
2017 | |
2018 | |
2019 | |
2020 |
|
2021 | |
2022 | |
2023 | |
2024 |
protested
Art |
| ||
---|---|---|---|
Books |
| ||
Film |
| ||
Music |
| ||
Other |
- 8 to Abolition
- Assata's Daughters
- Black Feminist Future
- Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
- Black Visions Collective
- BlackinChem
- BYP100
- Campaign Zero
- Don't Shoot Portland
- Millennial Activists United
- Mothers of Gynecology Movement
- Mothers of the Movement
- Movement for Black Lives
- Peoples Power Assemblies
- #SayHerName
- Stop Cop City
- Street Riders NYC
- Taking the Initiative Party
- Wall of Moms
- White Coats for Black Lives
legislation
with opposition
- 2020 deployment of federal forces in the United States
- 2020–2023 United States racial unrest
- Black Lives Matter Plaza
- Black maternal mortality in the United States
- Criminal stereotype of African Americans
- Defund the police
- Driving while black
- Ferguson effect
- George Floyd Square
- Hands up, don't shoot
- I can't breathe
- National anthem protests
- Native Lives Matter
- No justice, no peace
- Police abolition movement
- Police accountability
- Police brutality
- Police misconduct
- Racial bias in criminal news
- Rest in power
- Save the Boards
- Taking the knee
- Terry stop
- The talk
- Woke
Category