Robbery Angle Emerges in Sean Taylor's Killing

The Washington Post lays out the scenario by which the murder of Sean Taylor was actually a botched robbery attempt.

Police arrested four people in connection with the case and they will all likely be charged with murder. Police tracked down the individuals thanks to citizens' tips. Police say they have at least one confession.

The crooks broke into the home to burglarize it, not expecting anyone to be home.

The four men are Charles Kendrick Lee Wardlow, 18; Eric Rivera Jr., 17; Jason Scott Mitchell, 19; and Venjah K. Hunte, 20.



Charles Wardlow's uncle, Christopher Wardlow, who is only 21, is dating Sasha Johnson, Taylor's stepsister.

Sasha Johnson, her brother Jamal Johnson and Donna Junor, Taylor's mother were the primary residents of this house.

Sasha threw a birthday party for herself at the house over Thanksgiving weekend while Taylor was in Washington. Jason Mitchell attended that party, and Mitchell also reportedly was paid to mow the lawn at the house.

From this information it seems the men were familiar with the house, knew how nice it was, how many plasma TVs it had, and decided to rob it. They thought they knew well enough who would or would not be there at the time. They evidently thought on a Sunday night Taylor would be with the Redskins and not at home. But Taylor was injured so he was there that night, and when the burglars heard him, they panicked and fired. Maybe they thought a shot to the leg would injure but not kill Taylor, giving them enough time to escape. But they were wrong.

All four men have criminal histories, according to public records. Rivera was charged in August with felony possession of a firearm and removing a serial number from a firearm and in October with felony cocaine and amphetamines trafficking. Wardlow was arrested three times in 2005-06, twice on drug charges and once for felony grand theft. Mitchell was charged with disturbing the peace in 2004. Hunte was arrested on drug possession and trespassing charges in August.

Taylor's former attorney Richard Sharpstein has been the public spokesman for the family during this time and this is what he had to say about the latest developments: "People always said Sean's life led him to this, saying he was violent. But if anything here his openness and generosity led to this crime, which is shocking and horrific. I said all along it was a burglary and it was planned. There are 17-, 19-, 21-year-old pathetic criminal wannabes and they carry a gun like every other dime-a-dozen jerk in the streets, and they happen to come upon someone they don't expect to be there and they fire the gun and run like cowards. This is a shame, but it's not over and this will be of no solace to the family. If anything it will only make it harder to swallow."