Murders of Oluwatoyin Salau and Victoria Sims explained

Murders of Oluwatoyin Salau and Victoria Sims
Location:Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Type:Double-murder by ligature strangulation, rape, kidnapping
Motive:Attempt to avoid arrest for previous sexual assault
Accused:Aaron Lee Glee, Jr. (confessed)
Charges:
Verdict:Life imprisonment

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
Birth Name:Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau[2]
Birth Date:27 August 2000
Birth Place:Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Death Place:Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Death Cause: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.

Salau attended Buck Lake Elementary School and Swift Creek Middle School in Tallahassee, 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. In 2019, Salau enrolled at Tallahassee Community College while still at Lively, intending to study law at Florida A&M University thereafter.

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.

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.

Salau's disappearance and discovery of bodies

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] [13] She was last seen alive on June 10, 2020.[14]

After a search by community residents, the Tallahassee Community Action Committee, and Tallahassee Police Department,[15] [16] [17] [18] [19] her body was found on June 14, 2020 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.[21] Sims' home was found vandalized.[22]

Salau was buried at Oakland Cemetery in Tallahassee.

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. Glee later confessed to the murder and rape of Salau.[23]

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.[24]

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.[25] He later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and kidnapping. On September 22, 2023, Glee was sentenced to life in prison.

Reaction

''RIP Toyin'' and ''Toyin'' trended on Twitter alongside the hashtag #JusticeForToyin after the news went out that Salau's body had been found.[26] Abike Dabiri, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission called on the U.S. Government to ensure a thorough investigation of Salau's murder.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Barrera . Elena . Aaron Glee gets life in prison after families 'torn apart' by brutal double murder . 2023-09-26 . Tallahassee Democrat . en-US.
  2. Web site: Obituary for Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau at Tillman Funeral Home Tallahassee. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200618141546/http://www.tillmanfh.com/obituary/oluwatoyin-ruth-salau. June 18, 2020. June 18, 2020. Tillman Funeral Home. en.
  3. Web site: June 24, 2020. Obituary for Oluwatoyin Ruth Salau. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200709075935/https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tallahassee/obituary.aspx?n=oluwatoyin-ruth-salau&pid=196386644&fhid=17971. July 9, 2020. July 9, 2020. Legacy.com. Tallahassee Democrat.
  4. Web site: June 16, 2020. Nigeria Urges US To Probe Murder Of Nigerian-American Activist Toyin Salau. live. June 18, 2020. Sahara Reporters. https://web.archive.org/web/20200616222531/http://saharareporters.com:80/2020/06/16/nigeria-urges-us-probe-murder-nigerian-american-activist-toyin-salau . June 16, 2020 .
  5. Web site: Hassanein. Nada. June 28, 2020. At her funeral, loved ones gather to remember 'bright, resilient' Oluwatoyin Salau. July 9, 2020. Tallahassee Democrat.
  6. News: Friends remember Black Lives Matter activist Toyin Salau. Wheeler. Emma. June 16, 2020. WCTV. June 18, 2020.
  7. Web site: McBride. Jessica. June 13, 2020. Oluwatoyin Salau: Tallahassee, Florida Black Lives Matter Protester Was Missing. June 15, 2020. Heavy.com. en-US.
  8. Web site: June 15, 2020. Black Lives Matter activist Oluwatoyin Salau, 19, reportedly found dead after tweet. June 15, 2020. Al Arabiya English. en.
  9. News: Hassanein. Nada. June 15, 2020. Florida protester Oluwatoyin Salau, 19, found dead in Tallahassee after going missing. USA TODAY. June 15, 2020.
  10. News: Stieb. Matt. June 16, 2020. Everything We Know About the Death of Black Lives Matter Activist Oluwatoyin Salau. New York Magazine Intelligencer. June 16, 2020.
  11. News: Nieto del Rio. Giulia McDonnell. June 15, 2020. Oluwatoyin Salau, Missing Black Lives Matter Activist, Is Found Dead. The New York Times. June 16, 2020.
  12. Web site: Teen Black Activist Oluwatoyin Salau Confirmed Dead. The Daily Dot. June 15, 2020. July 29, 2024.
  13. Web site: Hassanein. Nada. Black Lives Matter protestor in Florida still missing after tweeting about sexual assault. June 15, 2020. USA TODAY. en-US.
  14. News: Hassanein. Nada. June 15, 2020. Florida protester Oluwatoyin Salau killed in Tallahassee after going missing. The Tallahassee Democrat. June 16, 2020.
  15. News: June 12, 2020. Black Lives Matter protester in Florida missing after tweeting about sexual assault. en. Washington Examiner. June 15, 2020.
  16. Web site: Hassanein. Nada. Tallahassee police, demonstrators still searching for missing Black Lives Matter protester. June 15, 2020. Tallahassee Democrat. en.
  17. Web site: June 10, 2020. TPD searching for missing 19-year-old activist last seen Saturday. June 15, 2020. WTXL. en.
  18. Web site: Kaplan. Katie. Tallahassee residents gather to look for missing activist. June 15, 2020. www.wctv.tv. June 11, 2020 . english.
  19. News: Deliso. Meredith. 2020-06-16. Suspect charged with murder, kidnapping in Oluwatoyin Salau case. ABC News. 2020-06-17.
  20. News: Jefferson. J'na. June 15, 2020. Death of Oluwatoyin Salau: What We Know So Far. The Root. June 15, 2020.
  21. Web site: Protester Oluwatoyin Salau, AARP volunteer Vicki Sims found dead: What we know so far . Amber Roberson and Grace Pateras . June 15, 2020 . . June 15, 2020 . Tallahassee Police identified the suspect in the case as Aaron Glee Jr., 49. He is in police custody. .
  22. Web site: Tallahassee police release update in Salau, Sims double homicide. USA Today. June 16, 2020. July 29, 2024.
  23. News: Burlew. Jeff. 2020-07-05. Aaron Glee has been charged with murders of Oluwatoyin Salau and Vicki Sims in Florida. He 'would have killed again,' experts say.. Tallahassee Democrat. 2020-07-14.
  24. News: Man arrested in deaths of activist Oluwatoyin Salau and volunteer Vicki Sims in Florida: What we know. Amber. Roberson. USA Today. June 16, 2020.
  25. Web site: Man accused of murdering two Tallahassee women backs out of guilty plea, insists on trial. Tallahassee Democrat. January 31, 2023.
  26. Web site: 2020-06-15. Tallahassee Model and Black Lives Matter Activist Oluwatoyin "Toyin" Salau Found Slain After Going Missing. 2020-06-17. Glitter Magazine. en.

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