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Wellington, Florida – A Black man was arrested for the brutal execution-style murder of his two White neighbors on Saturday, leaving behind four children without a mom and dad. The suspect was a ‘celebrated’ Black airline mechanic now being referred to as a “sweet man” who allegedly shot in self-defense.
According to reports, 63-year-old Norman Scott is now facing first-degree murder charges for the gunshot murder of Tara Marie and Taylor Glenn Jones, two White parents living next door in Wellington’s posh Black Diamond neighborhood.
Investigators said the shooting took place Saturday evening and may have been motivated by a petty dispute over a basketball hoop and the neighbor’s property line. An eyewitness claimed that when he was attempting to render aid to the victims, Scott came outside and confessed to the crime, saying, “Don’t worry, I shot them both.”
Scott was said to have told the witness that the shooting initially stemmed from an argument with his neighbors over the property. He then called 911 and confessed to authorities that he shot both White parents in “self-defense” after they “attacked him,” investigators said.
Security camera footage proved differently, however. An arrest report said neither of the victims were observed behaving in an aggressive manner, or “displaying any form of threatening behavior” in front of Scott.
“The video surveillance evidence unequivocally establishes the shooting was completely malicious and unprovoked,” read the arrest report. “Throughout the ordeal, Tara and Taylor Jones were never observed acting violently, aggressively, or exhibiting any form of threatening behavior towards Norman Scott.
The document further states that Scott could be seen pointing at a basketball hoop and waving his hand in Taylor Jones’ face, with the victim replying with only “non-threatening” hand gestures.
Police say the video then shows Scott withdrawing a gun and firing at Taylor, who had both hands raised. After firing numerous times, Scott walks over to Taylor and shoots him once more while he’s on the ground. He then shoots, kills, and executes Tara Jones in the same manner, investigators said. Both were shot a total of three times.
Scott—who is Black—is a veteran airline mechanic for Southwest Airlines, credited with starting a diverse “legacy.” According to a now-deleted blog post by Vaughn College, Scott graduated from the school and had been working in the airline industry and Southwest Airlines for over twenty-five years.
His daughter, Courtney Scott, would follow in her troubled father’s footsteps. She enrolled in Vaughn College in 2014, quit in 2017, and re-enrolled in 2021. The academically struggling Black “ramp agent” for Delta Airlines eventually graduated, earning herself a degree in mechanical engineering. According to the post, she would later be awarded by data analytics company J.D. Power for “outstanding customer service,” and currently services aging Pratt & Whitney PW4000 aircraft engines.
For the murder of both Taylor and Tara Jones, Scott is currently being held without bail with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s office and faces two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a firearm. He has since pled not guilty, and his next court appearance is on June 3rd.
“My client has never been involved with violence in his entire life. He’s a sweet man,” said Brian Pakett, Scott’s defense attorney, in an interview with WPTV News. “We are confident and believe that, once the truth comes out, there’s a lot more than meets the eye.”
Meanwhile, those who knew the Jones are still reeling from the sudden loss. A friend of both victims said they recently moved to Florida in 2022, bringing four children between 13 and 7 years old. They’re remembered as “bright, nurturing souls” living for their kids and family.
“Tara and Taylor were not just partners in life, they were soulmates,” read a GoFundMe set up for the late couple. “Tara and Taylor poured every ounce of their being into nurturing their children, instilling in them the values of kindness, compassion, and resilience.”
“They leave behind an insurmountable amount of grief for their children. In the wake of their unexpected loss, their children have been left to navigate a world suddenly devoid of the love and guidance that has been their anchor,” it continued.
According to local real estate websites, Wellington’s Black Diamond area is described as an opulent, gated community whose residents earn over six figures on average. Featuring private lake access and a 24-hour manned security post, the looming specter of Black violence still found a way to creep into this majority-White enclave and take with it two devoted parents.
Black Americans continue to stun the nation with a neverending stream of abhorrently violent crimes targeting White people of all ages. Just last week, A Black man was arrested for the January knifepoint rape and brutal murder of a White woman on a nature trail in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania. The arrest, which took months to secure, finally came after officers peered through security camera footage and text messages.
In Huntsville, Alabama, a Black man was arrested following a ten-hour SWAT standoff, which completely shut down the entire neighborhood. Police allege the suspect-33-year-old Maurice D’Antonio Chatman, shot and killed his two White neighbors with a handgun before barricading himself in his own home.
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