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<\/source><\/picture>A Florida pastor\u2019s son, whom local police called a \u201csolid, good young man\u201d with no criminal record, was found murdered \u201cin cold blood\u201d in the parking lot of his father\u2019s church where he worked after a confrontation with a known gang member with 11 felony arrests and six misdemeanor arrests early Sunday morning.<\/p>\n
At a press conference<\/a> Monday, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd identified the victim as \u00a020-year-old Roderick Wilson Jr., whose father, Roderick Wilson Sr., is a pastor at the Pentecostal Church of God in Winter Haven.<\/p>\n The man who police suspect of murdering Wilson Jr. \u201cin cold blood\u201d is 22-year-old Taquion “Quan” Cotton, who is in police custody on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and other crimes, Judd said.<\/p>\n Judd said the first 911 call about Wilson Jr.\u2019s murder came in at 1:47 a.m. local time on Sunday, but investigators believe that pastor\u2019s son was murdered at about at around 12:51 a.m.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that Taquion Cotton, who’s 22, who’s our murderer, drove up to the church and they had an initial confrontation out in the street where there was some pushing and talking, and Roderick pulled his jacket off. And then Quan drove away. Then we have video that shows that Quan drove back. And in the parking lot of the church, he and Wilson had further words, and he shot and killed Roderick,\u201d Judd said.<\/p>\n The sheriff said the body of the pastor\u2019s son lay in the parking lot for about one hour before a good Samaritan drove by and noticed he was lying in a pool of blood.<\/p>\n \u201cLet me tell you about Roderick for a minute. He’s a good kid, no criminal history at all. He works at the church, working for his dad in the church. And he’s solid. He’s just a solid young man. And I think this picture of him, and this picture of Quan compares and contrasts,\u201d Judd said before highlighting Cotton\u2019s list of 17 criminal charges.<\/p>\n \u201cHe shoots and kills this young man. This solid, good young man,\u201d Judd lamented.<\/p>\n He said detectives have already identified the vehicle Cotton drove to carry out the attack on the pastor\u2019s son and noted how Cotton\u2019s mother helped police find him and even helped them physically restrain him after discovering her son had fatally shot someone.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to compliment Quan’s mother. She was totally cooperative with us. She gave us leads on where we might find Quan,\u201d Judd said.<\/p>\n Judd said when they first located Cotton not far from the murder scene he tried to escape and kidnapped a woman at her house in a bid to escape arrest. They were eventually able to arrest him, but he bit his mother as officers wrestled to take him into custody.<\/p>\n \u201cHe made admissions to us. That’s right. Quon did not give us a full confession, but he made incriminating statements to us. We still need to talk to witnesses. We know there were several cars that drove by while Quan and Roderick were having their original disagreement and shoving match. And then others drove by later, we want to talk to those witnesses,\u201d Judd stated.<\/p>\n The sheriff said his investigators are still trying to locate the gun used in the shooting which has a street value of about $300. He offered to pay $5,000 for the gun if investigators are able to successfully match it to the crime.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce we confirm that you’ve given us the actual firearm that Quan used to shoot this good young man to death in his daddy’s church parking lot in the middle of the night, you’ll get your money. And we’ll have the gun,\u201d Judd said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s important to understand, as it was explained to us that Roderick was a Christian boy. And he loved the Lord. Now, unfortunately, he got to see the Lord face to face a lot sooner than I’m sure he wanted to or should have. But we have to bring justice throughout our system, to the Roderick Wilson Jr. family,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Judd further noted that there is no evidence showing the pastor\u2019s son knew Cotton prior to the fatal encounter on Sunday.<\/p>\n Reacting to her son\u2019s murder on Monday, Wilson Jr.\u2019s mother, Emily Pringle, noted in a post on Facebook<\/a> that she was heartbroken.<\/p>\n \u201cI never imagined that I would have to make a post like this, I am so heartbroken after receiving a call early Sunday morning that someone had taken your life. \u2026 Son I will never ever be ok, this is so unfair!!!\u201d she said. \u201cYou were the sweetest child, you loved us all unconditionally, I just don\u2019t understand at all.\u201d<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/cdn.christianpost.com\/images\/cache\/image\/15\/07\/150796_w_760_404.webp\")
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