Man charged with infant's murder

[TexasStooge]

DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A man accused of killing an infant and seriously wounding three other people in a fit of rage over a breakup has been charged with capital murder, Dallas police said Wednesday.

Lee Frederick Taylor, 33, was charged in the shooting death of 8-month-old Jamieon Fletcher. Taylor, who was suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, remained in serious condition under police custody Wednesday at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, police said.

Bond was set at $1 million, Dallas police Sgt. Gil Cerda said.

He also is accused of wounding the infant’s mother, Jessica Andrews; his ex-girlfriend, Sharhonda Andrews; and their 3-week-old daughter, Gabriela, at a Southwest Dallas apartment complex Tuesday afternoon.

Family members said Tuesday that Taylor and Sharhonda Andrews, 22, recently had fought and broken up. Ms. Andrews and Gabriela moved in with 19-year-old Jessica Andrews and her family at the West Virginia Park Apartments.

The victims were at three area hospitals. All were listed in serious condition Tuesday night; hospital officials would not release information about their conditions Wednesday.

Taylor, known to friends and family as “Fred,” went to the apartment to confront Sharhonda Andrews just after noon Tuesday, then opened fire on everyone inside, police said.

Taylor then drove to his apartment at another complex less than a mile away, called 911 and shot himself in the head. About 45 minutes later, police found Taylor's white Ford Escort backed into a parking space at the Greens of Hickory Trail Apartments, less than a mile away on Old Hickory Trail.

Maria Carter said she heard about the shootings from her grandson, Simeon Fletcher, who is Jamieon's father.

"He called and said, 'My baby has been shot,' " Ms. Carter said. "Right now, I'm praying. I'm confused. My family will not be destroyed by this."

A family member who grew up with Taylor said the couple rarely fought.

"Every time I saw them, they were all lovey-dovey," LaPorsha Williams said. "He don't do stuff like this. He's real quiet. I can't see how he did what they say he did."

On Tuesday evening, apartment managers at the Old Hickory Trail complex posted a notice on residents' doors, informing them of the shooting and saying it was domestic and not random violence.

[george_r_1961]

To hell with lethal injection...draw and quarter him

[HurricaneGirl]

Why would someone want to do something like that to a poor little innocent baby! Too bad the loser didn't die.

[TexasStooge]

Man who killed infant had tried suicide

Police say he took pills in June; family says he 'snapped' in shooting

By JASON TRAHAN and HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News

A man who tried to take his own life after he killed an infant and seriously wounded three other people this week had attempted suicide four months ago, police reports show.

Fred Taylor, 33, was distraught after his girlfriend, Sharhonda Andrews, 22, left him June 9. He took 12 to 14 amitriptyline pills, an antidepressant for which he apparently had a prescription, according to a police report. The drug's side effects can include neurological problems, particularly when taken with other drugs.

Family members and police said Mr. Taylor was devastated when Ms. Andrews left him again a few days ago, taking the couple's 1-month-old daughter, Gabrielle, with her to a nearby relative's apartment. They said that, coupled with the loss of his 32-year-old brother to leukemia about the same time as Gabrielle's birth, proved too much for Mr. Taylor.

"He snapped," said Teddy Taylor, his brother. "Right now, we're trying to make sense of everything."

Dallas police investigators said Wednesday that they did not know whether Mr. Taylor was under the influence when he went on a shooting spree Tuesday at the Red Bird-area apartment where his estranged girlfriend and his newborn daughter had been staying.

Authorities filed a capital murder charge Wednesday against Mr. Taylor, who was under police guard at Methodist Dallas Medical Center, where he was recovering from several self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Hospital officials would not release his condition, but family members say he will survive.

Police said Mr. Taylor's bail had been set at $1 million.

He is accused of killing 8-month-old Jamieon, who died shortly after Mr. Taylor began shooting about noon Tuesday at the West Virginia Park Apartments.

The baby's mother, Jessica Andrews, 19, as well as Mr. Taylor's daughter, Gabriella, and girlfriend Sharhonda Andrews were hurt. Jessica Andrews had allowed Sharhonda Andrews to stay with her after she left Mr. Taylor.

Police said Gabriella was in serious condition Wednesday at Children's Medical Center. Her mother also was in serious condition at Methodist Dallas. Jessica Andrews was in serious condition at Methodist Charlton Medical Center, police said. Hospital officials would not release any of their updated conditions.

After the shooting, Mr. Taylor drove his car to his nearby unit at the Greens of Hickory Trail Apartments, where he shot himself several times. He also called his mother, as well as 911.

Police found several uniforms for at least three security guard companies in Mr. Taylor's closet. Relatives said he also worked as a market researcher conducting surveys to make ends meet.

"My brother, he's never been in trouble," Teddy Taylor said.