1 00:00:06,123 --> 00:00:06,863 (poignant music) 2 00:00:06,963 --> 00:00:09,703 - [Narrator] Miami, Florida, is a multicultural mecca 3 00:00:09,803 --> 00:00:12,463 with its sun soaked beaches, legendary food, 4 00:00:12,563 --> 00:00:14,303 and electric nightlife. 5 00:00:14,403 --> 00:00:17,442 The city attracts tourists from all over the world. 6 00:00:18,802 --> 00:00:20,062 It's also one of the most 7 00:00:20,162 --> 00:00:22,542 influential sports towns in America, 8 00:00:22,642 --> 00:00:26,702 whether it's the Marlins, Dolphins, Hurricanes or Heat, 9 00:00:26,802 --> 00:00:29,062 Miami's love for its hometown teams 10 00:00:29,162 --> 00:00:31,201 and its athletes runs deep. 11 00:00:32,521 --> 00:00:36,621 And in 2007, when one of the city's hometown sports hero 12 00:00:36,721 --> 00:00:39,261 is gunned down while defending his young family 13 00:00:39,361 --> 00:00:41,261 from a group of brazen killers, 14 00:00:41,361 --> 00:00:44,301 a single bullet has devastating consequences 15 00:00:44,401 --> 00:00:46,420 for all of Miami. 16 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,080 (upbeat music) 17 00:00:58,680 --> 00:00:59,780 In the late 19th century, 18 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:03,019 the city of Miami sprung up along Florida's East Coast, 19 00:01:03,119 --> 00:01:05,119 seemingly overnight. 20 00:01:05,559 --> 00:01:06,979 It's sudden rise to prominence 21 00:01:07,079 --> 00:01:09,279 earned it the nickname Magic City. 22 00:01:10,159 --> 00:01:13,339 Since then, it has grown from a tourist destination 23 00:01:13,439 --> 00:01:15,379 into one of the most culturally diverse, 24 00:01:15,479 --> 00:01:18,138 and endearing cities in America. 25 00:01:18,238 --> 00:01:20,018 Everyone wants to live in Miami, 26 00:01:20,118 --> 00:01:22,098 for the music, the culture, 27 00:01:22,198 --> 00:01:24,578 the food, the beaches. 28 00:01:24,678 --> 00:01:27,498 Miami is just this beautiful paradise 29 00:01:27,598 --> 00:01:30,458 where it's hot 365 days of the year, 30 00:01:30,558 --> 00:01:33,697 and it's just this wonderful place to live. 31 00:01:33,797 --> 00:01:35,537 I feel like Miami is its own country, 32 00:01:35,637 --> 00:01:38,657 although we're a city, we really are our own country. 33 00:01:38,757 --> 00:01:40,337 So I think people wanna live here. 34 00:01:40,437 --> 00:01:42,017 People want to come to Miami 35 00:01:42,117 --> 00:01:44,097 because you can literally walk down the street, 36 00:01:44,197 --> 00:01:45,657 and see a celebrity. 37 00:01:45,757 --> 00:01:48,736 So that's another reason why Miami is just so special. 38 00:01:48,836 --> 00:01:50,136 And as we say here in Miami, 39 00:01:50,236 --> 00:01:51,936 we're born and raised in the county of Dade 40 00:01:52,036 --> 00:01:54,456 and it's such a special place to live, 41 00:01:54,556 --> 00:01:58,536 and just to be here to be born and raised in Miami. 42 00:01:58,636 --> 00:02:00,376 (upbeat music) 43 00:02:00,476 --> 00:02:02,336 There's over 120 languages 44 00:02:02,436 --> 00:02:03,895 that you can find here in Miami. 45 00:02:03,995 --> 00:02:05,695 There's a uniqueness within each neighbourhood 46 00:02:05,795 --> 00:02:07,795 that you go to. 47 00:02:08,155 --> 00:02:10,255 - [Narrator] Residents from Latin America, Africa, 48 00:02:10,355 --> 00:02:14,175 and the Caribbean make up over half of Miami's population 49 00:02:14,275 --> 00:02:17,675 creating an energetic atmosphere unlike any other. 50 00:02:19,074 --> 00:02:20,294 We have different pockets 51 00:02:20,394 --> 00:02:23,614 of where you have concentrated populations of colour, 52 00:02:23,714 --> 00:02:25,574 you'll have little Haiti, 53 00:02:25,674 --> 00:02:27,694 then you may have Calle Ocho, Little Havana, 54 00:02:27,794 --> 00:02:30,574 where you'll find the Cuban population, 55 00:02:30,674 --> 00:02:31,894 and then you'll have the pockets 56 00:02:31,994 --> 00:02:33,854 where the black people may live. 57 00:02:33,954 --> 00:02:35,533 Brownsville, Liberty City, 58 00:02:35,633 --> 00:02:37,493 Overtown, colour city, 59 00:02:37,593 --> 00:02:39,493 and I think that's what makes Miami so special 60 00:02:39,593 --> 00:02:40,773 is that you can experience 61 00:02:40,873 --> 00:02:44,053 all different cultures in one location. 62 00:02:44,153 --> 00:02:46,773 I'm pretty sure you get like 63 00:02:46,873 --> 00:02:49,613 just the melting pot aspect of everything, 64 00:02:49,713 --> 00:02:52,532 or even a salad bowl because it's not even so much 65 00:02:52,632 --> 00:02:54,852 of everything kind of blending together, 66 00:02:54,952 --> 00:02:57,132 there's a uniqueness within each neighbourhood 67 00:02:57,232 --> 00:02:58,292 that you go to. 68 00:02:58,392 --> 00:02:59,292 (upbeat music) 69 00:02:59,392 --> 00:03:01,052 Some key neighbourhoods that really, 70 00:03:01,152 --> 00:03:03,672 really stand out are like Little Havana. 71 00:03:04,512 --> 00:03:06,611 Literally, I have been told so many times 72 00:03:06,711 --> 00:03:10,091 that stepping onto the main vein of Little Havana, 73 00:03:10,191 --> 00:03:15,131 which is Calle Ocho, is like stepping into Cuba literally. 74 00:03:15,231 --> 00:03:16,451 When you get to Wynwood, 75 00:03:16,551 --> 00:03:19,371 Wynwood is more of an art scene. 76 00:03:19,471 --> 00:03:21,690 So it was actually created by Tony Goldman. 77 00:03:21,790 --> 00:03:26,210 He had the idea of creating this outdoor open air museum 78 00:03:26,310 --> 00:03:28,970 after creating the Soho District in New York. 79 00:03:29,070 --> 00:03:32,170 (upbeat music) 80 00:03:32,270 --> 00:03:34,130 [Narrator] No matter where you come from 81 00:03:34,230 --> 00:03:36,369 or which neighbourhood you call home, 82 00:03:36,469 --> 00:03:39,009 most Miamians will agree on one thing, 83 00:03:39,109 --> 00:03:41,009 their shared love of sports 84 00:03:41,109 --> 00:03:43,769 brings everyone in the city together. 85 00:03:43,869 --> 00:03:47,289 - To be able to go and see the university play. 86 00:03:47,389 --> 00:03:50,689 It's amazing to kind of feel that spirit 87 00:03:50,789 --> 00:03:52,088 and to see how everybody, 88 00:03:52,188 --> 00:03:54,168 they get angry together (laughs) 89 00:03:54,268 --> 00:03:56,648 they're gonna yell together, high five each other 90 00:03:56,748 --> 00:03:59,048 once that touchdown is made. 91 00:03:59,148 --> 00:04:03,168 You get to see that even when it comes to soccer. 92 00:04:03,268 --> 00:04:06,128 I remember specifically going onto 93 00:04:06,228 --> 00:04:08,127 Lincoln Road on South Beach, 94 00:04:08,227 --> 00:04:12,607 and it was dead silent because there was a game going on, 95 00:04:12,707 --> 00:04:13,887 and then all of a sudden you hear 96 00:04:13,987 --> 00:04:16,807 the uproar of people yelling and screaming coming together 97 00:04:16,907 --> 00:04:19,607 because that goal was made by their favourite team. 98 00:04:19,707 --> 00:04:22,327 So being able to see it kind of played out 99 00:04:22,427 --> 00:04:23,526 throughout the areas 100 00:04:23,626 --> 00:04:25,446 and being able to see everyone come together 101 00:04:25,546 --> 00:04:27,966 doesn't matter about your background, your diversity, 102 00:04:28,066 --> 00:04:30,726 what may have kind of separated you 103 00:04:30,826 --> 00:04:32,886 so to speak from any other culture, 104 00:04:32,986 --> 00:04:35,146 you come together for the love of the game. 105 00:04:36,226 --> 00:04:37,646 When you're sitting in the stadium 106 00:04:37,746 --> 00:04:39,325 rooting for the University of Miami, 107 00:04:39,425 --> 00:04:41,645 doesn't matter where you were originally from, 108 00:04:41,745 --> 00:04:42,925 or what nationality or you know, 109 00:04:43,025 --> 00:04:43,925 if you're from South America, 110 00:04:44,025 --> 00:04:45,325 central America from Europe, 111 00:04:45,425 --> 00:04:46,445 you're all rooting for the same team 112 00:04:46,545 --> 00:04:48,045 and it brings everybody together 113 00:04:48,145 --> 00:04:50,305 and that's one of the beauties of sports. 114 00:04:51,225 --> 00:04:52,725 (dramatic music) 115 00:04:52,825 --> 00:04:54,764 [Narrator] But in the winter of 2007, 116 00:04:54,864 --> 00:04:57,044 a single bullet would send shock waves 117 00:04:57,144 --> 00:04:59,444 throughout Miami's close-knit fan base 118 00:04:59,544 --> 00:05:03,004 and it would leave a beloved hometown sports hero 119 00:05:03,104 --> 00:05:05,144 fighting for his life. 120 00:05:07,264 --> 00:05:11,123 Just before 2:00 AM on November 26th, 2007. 121 00:05:11,223 --> 00:05:12,483 (phone vibrating) 122 00:05:12,583 --> 00:05:15,163 Miami Day detective Juan Segovia 123 00:05:15,263 --> 00:05:18,363 gets called out to an attempted murder scene. 124 00:05:18,463 --> 00:05:20,203 That morning I was actually sleeping, 125 00:05:20,303 --> 00:05:22,683 my team was on call that night and I was dead asleep, 126 00:05:22,783 --> 00:05:24,243 but my phone went off. 127 00:05:24,343 --> 00:05:26,402 Traditionally when we we're on call, 128 00:05:26,502 --> 00:05:29,282 I knew we were getting called out for some sort of a case 129 00:05:29,382 --> 00:05:32,242 and I remember specifically just getting an address 130 00:05:32,342 --> 00:05:33,882 and that somebody had been shot. 131 00:05:33,982 --> 00:05:35,282 You know I'm the type of detective 132 00:05:35,382 --> 00:05:37,722 that I don't like getting a lot of information up front. 133 00:05:37,822 --> 00:05:39,242 Some guys dos, I don't, 134 00:05:39,342 --> 00:05:41,561 just gimme the address and I'll start getting ready. 135 00:05:41,661 --> 00:05:43,441 And I remember just jotting the address down 136 00:05:43,541 --> 00:05:45,681 on a piece of paper on my nightstand. 137 00:05:45,781 --> 00:05:48,401 I took a quick shower and I started heading out. 138 00:05:48,501 --> 00:05:50,481 I begin to prepare myself mentally, 139 00:05:50,581 --> 00:05:52,561 and I'll begin to gather more information. 140 00:05:52,661 --> 00:05:55,920 By that time usually I'm calling the other guys on my team 141 00:05:56,020 --> 00:05:59,080 or I'll call the detective that notified me initially, 142 00:05:59,180 --> 00:06:00,480 and I'll try to gather more information 143 00:06:00,580 --> 00:06:02,920 to see what else has developed since they got notified. 144 00:06:03,020 --> 00:06:05,760 Get a little more detail as to what occurred 145 00:06:05,860 --> 00:06:07,680 during the homicide. 146 00:06:07,780 --> 00:06:08,660 And the detective that called me, 147 00:06:08,740 --> 00:06:10,799 he goes, "Oh man, you got a big one". 148 00:06:10,899 --> 00:06:13,719 He goes, "Sean Taylor was shot, 149 00:06:13,819 --> 00:06:15,959 "he's critical and he's been transported. 150 00:06:16,059 --> 00:06:17,639 "So, you know, good luck". 151 00:06:17,739 --> 00:06:20,039 It took me like a full three seconds 152 00:06:20,139 --> 00:06:22,279 to register the name Sean Taylor, 153 00:06:22,379 --> 00:06:25,379 and I thought to myself, "Sean Taylor, the football player". 154 00:06:27,138 --> 00:06:28,758 [Narrator] Although NFL Star Safety, 155 00:06:28,858 --> 00:06:31,518 Sean Taylor played for the Washington Redskins, 156 00:06:31,618 --> 00:06:34,278 he was a Florida native and maintained a home 157 00:06:34,378 --> 00:06:37,918 in the upscaled Miami enclave of Palmetto Bay. 158 00:06:38,018 --> 00:06:40,238 It's not a place where violence happens, 159 00:06:40,338 --> 00:06:42,317 so it really was sort of a mystery 160 00:06:42,417 --> 00:06:44,417 and a shock when this happened. 161 00:06:45,137 --> 00:06:47,277 - I remember pulling up a couple blocks away 162 00:06:47,377 --> 00:06:48,437 and as I'm approaching the house, 163 00:06:48,537 --> 00:06:50,877 I could see in the distance a lot of lights, 164 00:06:50,977 --> 00:06:52,197 and as I got closer, 165 00:06:52,297 --> 00:06:55,297 it was just a sea of media on scene already. 166 00:06:56,417 --> 00:06:57,436 So the word had gotten out 167 00:06:57,536 --> 00:06:59,156 and the media had already responded. 168 00:06:59,256 --> 00:07:01,076 So I navigated as much as I could. 169 00:07:01,176 --> 00:07:02,756 It got to the point where I couldn't go any further 170 00:07:02,856 --> 00:07:03,996 from the amount of trucks and media 171 00:07:04,096 --> 00:07:05,356 that was in front of the house, 172 00:07:05,456 --> 00:07:07,756 and I walked the rest of the way through. 173 00:07:07,856 --> 00:07:10,476 (dramatic music) 174 00:07:10,576 --> 00:07:11,876 [Narrator] Detective Segovia learns 175 00:07:11,976 --> 00:07:15,215 that Sean was shot during an apparent home invasion. 176 00:07:16,535 --> 00:07:19,915 First responders had found Sean just inside his bedroom 177 00:07:20,015 --> 00:07:23,355 bleeding profusely from a gunshot wound to his leg. 178 00:07:23,455 --> 00:07:27,215 He'd been taken via helicopter to a nearby trauma centre. 179 00:07:28,374 --> 00:07:31,074 - Anybody who's done this job for a little while 180 00:07:31,174 --> 00:07:34,074 knows the amount of blood signified as arterial bleeding, 181 00:07:34,174 --> 00:07:36,174 so I knew it was serious. 182 00:07:37,534 --> 00:07:39,434 - [Narrator] Sean's girlfriend, Jackie Garcia 183 00:07:39,534 --> 00:07:41,434 and the couple's 18 month old daughter 184 00:07:41,534 --> 00:07:42,994 are still on the scene, 185 00:07:43,094 --> 00:07:45,093 but both are seemingly unharmed. 186 00:07:45,933 --> 00:07:47,633 Even though Jackie was in the home 187 00:07:47,733 --> 00:07:49,193 at the time of the shooting 188 00:07:49,293 --> 00:07:51,713 and was the person who called 911, 189 00:07:51,813 --> 00:07:55,073 detective Segovia holds off on speaking to her for now, 190 00:07:55,173 --> 00:07:58,713 even though she's likely his best witness. 191 00:07:58,813 --> 00:08:00,592 - You're dealing with someone who now knows 192 00:08:00,692 --> 00:08:03,392 their loved one is in critical condition, 193 00:08:03,492 --> 00:08:05,152 their mind is completely somewhere else you know, 194 00:08:05,252 --> 00:08:08,152 she's worried about the health of Sean Taylor, 195 00:08:08,252 --> 00:08:10,312 not so much the health of my investigation, 196 00:08:10,412 --> 00:08:12,452 so I don't wanna push too much. 197 00:08:15,091 --> 00:08:16,191 [Narrator] As Juan and this team 198 00:08:16,291 --> 00:08:19,551 begin to develop a game plan for their high profile case, 199 00:08:19,651 --> 00:08:22,671 word gets back that just as they had suspected, 200 00:08:22,771 --> 00:08:26,151 a bullet has torn through Sean's right femoral artery 201 00:08:26,251 --> 00:08:29,191 and his condition is extremely dire. 202 00:08:29,291 --> 00:08:30,910 - It's usually not a good outcome for the victim. 203 00:08:31,010 --> 00:08:34,430 And I knew that Sean had a very tough fight ahead 204 00:08:34,530 --> 00:08:36,190 to stay alive. 205 00:08:36,290 --> 00:08:39,310 (poignant music) 206 00:08:39,410 --> 00:08:42,790 - [Narrator] Sean Taylor was born on April 1st, 1983, 207 00:08:42,890 --> 00:08:44,990 and spent most of his childhood growing up 208 00:08:45,090 --> 00:08:47,509 in nearby homestead Florida. 209 00:08:47,609 --> 00:08:49,549 Sean was very active, 210 00:08:49,649 --> 00:08:52,549 he always liked to catch lizards, 211 00:08:52,649 --> 00:08:56,309 play in the yard, play street football, 212 00:08:56,409 --> 00:08:59,529 go fishing, he kept busy all the time. 213 00:09:00,449 --> 00:09:03,228 I noticed his energy at a young age, 214 00:09:03,328 --> 00:09:05,148 you know, typical kid but he just, 215 00:09:05,248 --> 00:09:06,388 there was something different about him. 216 00:09:06,488 --> 00:09:08,788 You could actually see where he was really intense 217 00:09:08,888 --> 00:09:12,208 and focused and very, very competitive. 218 00:09:14,248 --> 00:09:15,828 [Narrator] After his parents divorced 219 00:09:15,928 --> 00:09:17,307 Sean went to live with his father 220 00:09:17,407 --> 00:09:19,707 in Miami's Overtown neighbourhood, 221 00:09:19,807 --> 00:09:23,147 his career in football began soon after that. 222 00:09:23,247 --> 00:09:25,387 My memory of him is just that, 223 00:09:25,487 --> 00:09:29,267 him being the fireball running around beyond everybody else, 224 00:09:29,367 --> 00:09:31,027 I called him Mr. Bamalam 225 00:09:31,127 --> 00:09:32,906 because every time he came to the play 226 00:09:33,006 --> 00:09:35,726 and he gets to the play, it is done, bamalam. 227 00:09:36,886 --> 00:09:39,426 He played for the South Day Rams, 228 00:09:39,526 --> 00:09:42,746 and it's funny because there's a lot of guys in the stands 229 00:09:42,846 --> 00:09:44,266 that would be betting on kids, 230 00:09:44,366 --> 00:09:45,506 and they would be betting that Sean 231 00:09:45,606 --> 00:09:46,746 was gonna knock somebody out 232 00:09:46,846 --> 00:09:48,825 or he's gonna score a touchdown. 233 00:09:48,925 --> 00:09:51,345 - [Narrator] Sean's family threw their full support 234 00:09:51,445 --> 00:09:53,625 behind their budding star. 235 00:09:53,725 --> 00:09:57,465 - At first I couldn't watch him play and do those hits. 236 00:09:57,565 --> 00:09:59,745 I would be afraid he is gonna get hurt, 237 00:09:59,845 --> 00:10:02,065 but as time went on, 238 00:10:02,165 --> 00:10:05,084 I started enjoying it and getting into it. 239 00:10:06,444 --> 00:10:08,264 (gentle music) 240 00:10:08,364 --> 00:10:10,544 - [Narrator] By the time Sean graduated high school, 241 00:10:10,644 --> 00:10:13,584 colleges across the nation were lining up to sign him, 242 00:10:13,684 --> 00:10:18,343 but he chose to stay in Miami and the city loved him for it. 243 00:10:18,443 --> 00:10:21,743 - To see the love that he got from the fans, 244 00:10:21,843 --> 00:10:24,183 to see how he responded, 245 00:10:24,283 --> 00:10:26,503 it's kind of like he knew 246 00:10:26,603 --> 00:10:29,703 when you stay home and you play for the University of Miami, 247 00:10:29,803 --> 00:10:31,803 you have the city on your back. 248 00:10:34,242 --> 00:10:35,742 [Narrator] After three successful years 249 00:10:35,842 --> 00:10:39,702 with the Hurricanes Sean set his sights on the NFL, 250 00:10:39,802 --> 00:10:42,502 and in 2004 his hard work paid off 251 00:10:42,602 --> 00:10:45,622 when he was drafted in the first round by Washington, 252 00:10:45,722 --> 00:10:49,022 Sean and his family were elated. 253 00:10:49,122 --> 00:10:50,621 Everybody was hugging and you know, 254 00:10:50,721 --> 00:10:53,261 was big celebration. 255 00:10:53,361 --> 00:10:57,281 The way he smiled, it was like, "Yeah, I did it". 256 00:10:58,521 --> 00:11:01,081 This is just the start of something special. 257 00:11:02,241 --> 00:11:06,300 - [Narrator] Sean signed a six year, $18 million contract 258 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:07,900 that changed his life 259 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:10,660 and the lives of everyone in his family. 260 00:11:10,760 --> 00:11:12,980 He wanted to change some people's lives 261 00:11:13,080 --> 00:11:15,500 that were close to him, his mum especially. 262 00:11:15,600 --> 00:11:18,100 You know when you see your mum working a lot 263 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,099 and you know that they're making a sacrifice for you, 264 00:11:21,199 --> 00:11:25,159 I know for a fact that that was what really drove him. 265 00:11:28,639 --> 00:11:30,819 [Narrator] Two years later in 2006, 266 00:11:30,919 --> 00:11:32,779 Sean had even more to celebrate 267 00:11:32,879 --> 00:11:34,499 when he and his girlfriend Jackie, 268 00:11:34,599 --> 00:11:36,838 welcomed their first child into the world. 269 00:11:37,718 --> 00:11:42,458 - That changed his life because now it was, 270 00:11:42,558 --> 00:11:44,858 my number one priority as my child. 271 00:11:44,958 --> 00:11:47,078 I saw him take it very seriously. 272 00:11:48,158 --> 00:11:52,577 - That love that you getting from a child is unconditional 273 00:11:52,677 --> 00:11:55,297 and it makes you into a better person, 274 00:11:55,397 --> 00:11:58,777 it changes you, your thought process, your movement. 275 00:11:58,877 --> 00:12:00,817 It did everything for him. 276 00:12:00,917 --> 00:12:03,557 It's nothing like that, he definitely enjoyed it. 277 00:12:04,877 --> 00:12:07,096 - [Narrator] But now Sean is clinging to life 278 00:12:07,196 --> 00:12:08,496 and the news of his shooting 279 00:12:08,596 --> 00:12:10,796 spreads through his family like a wildfire. 280 00:12:11,836 --> 00:12:14,536 - I was walking in my hallway just walking back and forth, 281 00:12:14,636 --> 00:12:16,176 I couldn't sleep for some reason 282 00:12:16,276 --> 00:12:17,616 and that's when I got the call, 283 00:12:17,716 --> 00:12:20,736 and his dad told me what had happened that he was shot. 284 00:12:20,836 --> 00:12:23,655 I don't even remember anything after that. 285 00:12:23,755 --> 00:12:26,995 - I was at the Hard Rock Casino and I was playing poker. 286 00:12:28,915 --> 00:12:30,855 I don't know how much money I had, 287 00:12:30,955 --> 00:12:33,975 but I got the call and then he got shot, 288 00:12:34,075 --> 00:12:36,375 and I just walked out the building 289 00:12:36,475 --> 00:12:38,474 and got in my car and just drove. 290 00:12:39,554 --> 00:12:41,094 - [Narrator] While investigators at the scene 291 00:12:41,194 --> 00:12:43,614 try and piece together what happened to Sean, 292 00:12:43,714 --> 00:12:45,774 his loved ones descend upon the hospital 293 00:12:45,874 --> 00:12:47,854 hoping for some good news. 294 00:12:47,954 --> 00:12:51,254 His prognosis, however remained grim. 295 00:12:51,354 --> 00:12:53,253 He was bleeding profusely, 296 00:12:53,353 --> 00:12:55,053 like every time the bloody would go out there, 297 00:12:55,153 --> 00:12:56,573 try to put the blood back in. 298 00:12:56,673 --> 00:12:58,673 Even thinking about it was horrible. 299 00:12:59,353 --> 00:13:01,853 - I think being a world-class athlete 300 00:13:01,953 --> 00:13:04,293 will help in certain situations, 301 00:13:04,393 --> 00:13:06,813 but a lot of things would have to go right, 302 00:13:06,913 --> 00:13:09,292 and there was a lot of things 303 00:13:09,392 --> 00:13:11,252 that didn't go right that night. 304 00:13:11,352 --> 00:13:14,612 (dramatic music) 305 00:13:14,712 --> 00:13:16,412 [Narrator] As doctors desperately fight 306 00:13:16,512 --> 00:13:19,212 to save the life of NFL star Sean Taylor, 307 00:13:19,312 --> 00:13:21,852 investigators begin searching his Miami home 308 00:13:21,952 --> 00:13:24,791 for clues to explain what happened to him that night. 309 00:13:25,871 --> 00:13:27,691 - We start doing an assessment of the residence 310 00:13:27,791 --> 00:13:30,491 from the outside and we very quickly determined, 311 00:13:30,591 --> 00:13:32,691 that there have been forced entry into the residence. 312 00:13:32,791 --> 00:13:35,731 From the rear of the house you could see wood shavings 313 00:13:35,831 --> 00:13:37,771 and wood debris on the ground, 314 00:13:37,871 --> 00:13:39,530 and when you see the door itself, 315 00:13:39,630 --> 00:13:41,810 it was very easy to determine that someone had just pried 316 00:13:41,910 --> 00:13:44,190 that door open with some sort of metal object. 317 00:13:47,590 --> 00:13:49,130 - [Narrator] Detectives carefully worked their way 318 00:13:49,230 --> 00:13:50,730 through Sean's home. 319 00:13:50,830 --> 00:13:51,930 For the most part, 320 00:13:52,030 --> 00:13:54,410 nothing seems to be outta place. 321 00:13:54,510 --> 00:13:56,769 - That immediate area appeared to be undisturbed. 322 00:13:56,869 --> 00:13:58,409 Nothing that stood out to us, 323 00:13:58,509 --> 00:14:00,509 nothing that was alarming. 324 00:14:01,029 --> 00:14:02,489 [Narrator] That all changes 325 00:14:02,589 --> 00:14:04,909 as they approached Sean's master bedroom. 326 00:14:05,789 --> 00:14:07,289 There's a little hallway 327 00:14:07,389 --> 00:14:09,829 and you can already see blood on the ground. 328 00:14:10,748 --> 00:14:12,448 - [Narrator] In addition to the large amount of blood 329 00:14:12,548 --> 00:14:14,328 outside Sean's bedroom, 330 00:14:14,428 --> 00:14:17,908 detectives also find some damage to the bedroom door. 331 00:14:19,028 --> 00:14:20,608 We could immediately see on scene 332 00:14:20,708 --> 00:14:23,808 a faint outline of a shoe against that door. 333 00:14:23,908 --> 00:14:26,527 So I knew the confrontation had occurred there. 334 00:14:26,627 --> 00:14:28,767 I knew that it was probably something very quick, 335 00:14:28,867 --> 00:14:31,207 not a lot of physical involvement. 336 00:14:31,307 --> 00:14:32,647 And he had been shot and he had collapsed 337 00:14:32,747 --> 00:14:34,567 right there on the same spot. 338 00:14:34,667 --> 00:14:37,167 There wasn't any blood splatter that I could see. 339 00:14:37,267 --> 00:14:39,687 There weren't any signs of a fight. 340 00:14:39,787 --> 00:14:41,166 [Narrator] Detectives also find 341 00:14:41,266 --> 00:14:43,366 a single nine millimetre shell casing 342 00:14:43,466 --> 00:14:45,466 outside Sean's bedroom. 343 00:14:46,346 --> 00:14:47,106 There's scenes that you get to 344 00:14:47,186 --> 00:14:49,046 that you have absolutely nothing, 345 00:14:49,146 --> 00:14:51,566 so the fact that you can locate a casing, 346 00:14:51,666 --> 00:14:53,666 it's a positive. 347 00:14:54,826 --> 00:14:57,765 - [Narrator] While CSIs continue processing the scene, 348 00:14:57,865 --> 00:14:59,885 detective Segovia turns his attention 349 00:14:59,985 --> 00:15:03,205 to Sean's girlfriend, Jackie Garcia. 350 00:15:03,305 --> 00:15:05,885 - Because she was in the house at the time it happened, 351 00:15:05,985 --> 00:15:08,965 she was gonna be able to tell us at least a story 352 00:15:09,065 --> 00:15:11,245 that would explain some things to us. 353 00:15:11,345 --> 00:15:14,024 So getting to her was of utmost importance. 354 00:15:15,144 --> 00:15:17,044 - [Narrator] Through her shock, fear and pain, 355 00:15:17,144 --> 00:15:20,044 Jackie tells detectives that she and Sean were asleep 356 00:15:20,144 --> 00:15:22,144 with their 18 month old daughter, 357 00:15:23,344 --> 00:15:27,164 when she was awakened by the sound of someone breaking in. 358 00:15:27,264 --> 00:15:29,363 She immediately called out to Sean 359 00:15:29,463 --> 00:15:32,843 and woke him up and told him I heard something in the house. 360 00:15:32,943 --> 00:15:34,603 At that moment, Sean Taylor 361 00:15:34,703 --> 00:15:37,003 reached behind the headboard of the bed 362 00:15:37,103 --> 00:15:38,163 and pulled out a machete 363 00:15:38,263 --> 00:15:40,263 that he had back there for protection, 364 00:15:41,103 --> 00:15:43,262 and begins to walk around the bed. 365 00:15:46,262 --> 00:15:47,642 And then next thing you know, 366 00:15:47,742 --> 00:15:49,742 door gets kicked open. 367 00:15:50,222 --> 00:15:51,202 (gun shots) 368 00:15:51,302 --> 00:15:54,362 Shot rings out and then it's just all pandemonium. 369 00:15:54,462 --> 00:15:56,662 Jackie's crying, she's terrified. 370 00:15:57,582 --> 00:15:59,721 (dramatic music) 371 00:15:59,821 --> 00:16:01,641 - The next thing she remembers is grabbing a cell phone 372 00:16:01,741 --> 00:16:03,401 and calling 911. 373 00:16:03,501 --> 00:16:04,841 She remained in the bedroom, 374 00:16:04,941 --> 00:16:06,941 until the uniform officers arrived. 375 00:16:07,821 --> 00:16:09,981 Ms. Garcia unfortunately never saw anybody. 376 00:16:11,701 --> 00:16:13,281 Really was like something out of like, 377 00:16:13,381 --> 00:16:15,980 a mystery thriller kind of Hollywood plot. 378 00:16:16,940 --> 00:16:18,320 [Narrator] Detectives have no reason 379 00:16:18,420 --> 00:16:19,920 to doubt Jackie's story, 380 00:16:20,020 --> 00:16:20,960 and she's ruled out 381 00:16:21,060 --> 00:16:23,340 as having any involvement from the beginning. 382 00:16:24,180 --> 00:16:26,480 His fiance was of utmost importance 383 00:16:26,580 --> 00:16:27,800 and was extremely helpful 384 00:16:27,900 --> 00:16:30,119 'cause she was able to tell us exactly what happened 385 00:16:30,219 --> 00:16:33,799 the moment he got shot and everything that led up to that. 386 00:16:33,899 --> 00:16:34,959 [Narrator] Detectives believe 387 00:16:35,059 --> 00:16:38,599 a broken sliding glass door was the shooter's likely exit. 388 00:16:38,699 --> 00:16:42,399 - The sliding glass door was completely chattered. 389 00:16:42,499 --> 00:16:44,838 The majority of the glass was on the outside, 390 00:16:44,938 --> 00:16:47,118 on the patio area indicating to me 391 00:16:47,218 --> 00:16:49,818 that it had been broken from the inside going out. 392 00:16:51,178 --> 00:16:52,118 [Narrator] Detectives locate 393 00:16:52,218 --> 00:16:54,198 security cameras in Sean's house, 394 00:16:54,298 --> 00:16:57,038 but unfortunately they weren't actually connected 395 00:16:57,138 --> 00:17:01,277 at the time, it's a definite blow to the investigation. 396 00:17:01,377 --> 00:17:02,717 Kinda like that Rocky saying, you know, 397 00:17:02,817 --> 00:17:05,477 life is about getting hit and continue moving forward. 398 00:17:05,577 --> 00:17:07,157 That's kind of what it's like as an investigator. 399 00:17:07,257 --> 00:17:08,397 Every time you get knocked down 400 00:17:08,497 --> 00:17:11,257 you just get back up and you move on to the next thing. 401 00:17:13,697 --> 00:17:15,317 - [Narrator] A canvas of Sean's neighbourhood 402 00:17:15,417 --> 00:17:18,436 doesn't provide many more details either. 403 00:17:18,536 --> 00:17:20,756 The houses are not on top of each other. 404 00:17:20,856 --> 00:17:22,756 Most of the property lines are divided either 405 00:17:22,856 --> 00:17:26,356 by a big fence or walls, and nobody heard anything. 406 00:17:26,456 --> 00:17:29,116 So we were never able to gather anything pertinent 407 00:17:29,216 --> 00:17:31,215 to the case from our area canvas. 408 00:17:33,535 --> 00:17:35,595 - [Narrator] Throughout the night and until the morning, 409 00:17:35,695 --> 00:17:37,795 police continue their investigation, 410 00:17:37,895 --> 00:17:42,235 while Sean's loved ones continue to pray for his recovery. 411 00:17:42,335 --> 00:17:43,355 He ended up landing in probably 412 00:17:43,455 --> 00:17:45,475 the best trauma hospital in the world at 413 00:17:45,575 --> 00:17:48,274 Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Centre, 414 00:17:48,374 --> 00:17:50,114 and they were able able to repair the artery 415 00:17:50,214 --> 00:17:52,454 but I knew that was a long shot. 416 00:17:54,534 --> 00:17:55,874 [Narrator] On November 27th, 417 00:17:55,974 --> 00:17:58,074 Sean's valiant fight for his life 418 00:17:58,174 --> 00:18:00,554 comes to a devastating end. 419 00:18:00,654 --> 00:18:01,993 Sean lost so much blood, 420 00:18:02,093 --> 00:18:05,593 he went into a coma and then from the coma he passed away. 421 00:18:05,693 --> 00:18:07,753 So just innocently being home 422 00:18:07,853 --> 00:18:11,593 and protecting his family from an injury cost him his life. 423 00:18:11,693 --> 00:18:12,633 It hit us hard. 424 00:18:12,733 --> 00:18:14,753 I'll never forget one of the doctors saying that, 425 00:18:14,853 --> 00:18:17,832 he had never seen someone fight so hard to stay alive, 426 00:18:17,932 --> 00:18:20,112 and that always touched me. 427 00:18:20,212 --> 00:18:23,172 - It was hard they couldn't believe me, it crushed me. 428 00:18:24,372 --> 00:18:26,312 I'm not gonna lie. 429 00:18:26,412 --> 00:18:28,752 This really was a maddening case 430 00:18:28,852 --> 00:18:31,992 because it literally is just a fraction of a millimetre 431 00:18:32,092 --> 00:18:34,611 left or right and Sean Taylor might have survived. 432 00:18:35,731 --> 00:18:38,391 (suspenseful music) 433 00:18:38,491 --> 00:18:41,111 - [Narrator] Sean's death is now a homicide, 434 00:18:41,211 --> 00:18:43,671 and it only adds to the pressure for detectives 435 00:18:43,771 --> 00:18:47,031 to find some answers and fast. 436 00:18:47,131 --> 00:18:49,390 - I understood the implications of what it meant 437 00:18:49,490 --> 00:18:51,710 to have someone like that being shot. 438 00:18:51,810 --> 00:18:54,190 I knew there was gonna be a lot of pressure. 439 00:18:54,290 --> 00:18:57,750 - It really was a mystery because all we knew was that 440 00:18:57,850 --> 00:19:01,550 somebody had gone into the home and shot Sean. 441 00:19:01,650 --> 00:19:02,630 (gun shots) 442 00:19:02,730 --> 00:19:06,509 I think everybody's suspicion was that it was not random. 443 00:19:06,609 --> 00:19:07,669 I think everyone assumed no, 444 00:19:07,769 --> 00:19:10,229 this was someone that knew Sean Taylor 445 00:19:10,329 --> 00:19:12,189 who came there for nefarious reasons, 446 00:19:12,289 --> 00:19:13,909 whether it was a burglary, 447 00:19:14,009 --> 00:19:17,029 or whether it was just to kill him outright. 448 00:19:17,129 --> 00:19:18,829 I've covered a lot of random break-ins 449 00:19:18,929 --> 00:19:20,268 that end up in tragedies, 450 00:19:20,368 --> 00:19:22,728 and this one didn't have the hallmarks of that. 451 00:19:26,208 --> 00:19:27,748 - [Narrator] As word of Sean Taylor's death 452 00:19:27,848 --> 00:19:30,068 hits the 24 hour news cycle, 453 00:19:30,168 --> 00:19:31,628 some found and speculated 454 00:19:31,728 --> 00:19:34,548 that Sean was just another high profile athlete 455 00:19:34,648 --> 00:19:38,227 whose bad choices must have finally caught up with him. 456 00:19:38,327 --> 00:19:40,747 I remember very clearly some reporters 457 00:19:40,847 --> 00:19:42,307 putting out stuff about Sean Taylor 458 00:19:42,407 --> 00:19:44,187 and how he was living a lifestyle 459 00:19:44,287 --> 00:19:46,507 that probably resulted in his death. 460 00:19:46,607 --> 00:19:48,067 It was very hurtful to the family. 461 00:19:48,167 --> 00:19:50,666 It was even hurtful to us as investigators. 462 00:19:50,766 --> 00:19:52,666 He was never more down to earth in his life 463 00:19:52,766 --> 00:19:53,826 than he was at that moment. 464 00:19:53,926 --> 00:19:56,066 Nothing indicated that anything he was doing 465 00:19:56,166 --> 00:19:58,166 should have led to him getting shot. 466 00:19:59,926 --> 00:20:02,706 - [Narrator] Following the death of NFL star, Sean Taylor, 467 00:20:02,806 --> 00:20:04,306 detectives begin to doubt 468 00:20:04,406 --> 00:20:07,025 that his murder was a random crime. 469 00:20:07,125 --> 00:20:11,065 - This wasn't something where a random drug addicts 470 00:20:11,165 --> 00:20:14,705 just broke in and suddenly decided to kill 471 00:20:14,805 --> 00:20:15,985 whoever the person was and oh, 472 00:20:16,085 --> 00:20:18,085 it happened to be a football star. 473 00:20:18,765 --> 00:20:21,904 One of the more telling details about the break-in 474 00:20:22,004 --> 00:20:24,024 was the house wasn't ransacked. 475 00:20:24,124 --> 00:20:26,584 It almost seemed like whoever went in there 476 00:20:26,684 --> 00:20:28,684 knew exactly what they were looking for. 477 00:20:30,044 --> 00:20:31,904 - [Narrator] But according to Sean's loved ones, 478 00:20:32,004 --> 00:20:33,704 he had no known enemies, 479 00:20:33,804 --> 00:20:35,024 and he didn't live a lifestyle 480 00:20:35,124 --> 00:20:37,283 that would've brought danger into his life. 481 00:20:38,563 --> 00:20:40,063 Especially at that stage in his life. 482 00:20:40,163 --> 00:20:42,423 He had a young baby and his girlfriend, 483 00:20:42,523 --> 00:20:43,383 his high school sweetheart. 484 00:20:43,483 --> 00:20:45,423 He wasn't someone that was known to be out, you know, 485 00:20:45,523 --> 00:20:47,343 at South Beach at odd hours of the night. 486 00:20:47,443 --> 00:20:50,583 (suspenseful music) 487 00:20:50,683 --> 00:20:51,982 [Narrator] But detectives are made aware 488 00:20:52,082 --> 00:20:53,582 of one particular incident 489 00:20:53,682 --> 00:20:55,262 prior to his daughter's birth 490 00:20:55,362 --> 00:20:58,122 that does get their undivided attention. 491 00:20:59,162 --> 00:21:02,062 - Sean Taylor had an incident a couple years earlier 492 00:21:02,162 --> 00:21:04,382 where his ATVs have been stolen. 493 00:21:04,482 --> 00:21:06,302 Unfortunately, Sean being a young guy 494 00:21:06,402 --> 00:21:08,461 and wanted to take care of things himself 495 00:21:08,561 --> 00:21:09,621 without getting the police involved, 496 00:21:09,721 --> 00:21:11,021 he was able to locate his ATVs. 497 00:21:11,121 --> 00:21:12,941 He found out who had 'em. 498 00:21:13,041 --> 00:21:14,541 And he had gone and confronted them 499 00:21:14,641 --> 00:21:16,301 and brandished a weapon at them, 500 00:21:16,401 --> 00:21:19,361 and so he ended up getting arrested for the weapons charge. 501 00:21:20,321 --> 00:21:22,741 - Sean never had to do any prison time or anything, 502 00:21:22,841 --> 00:21:24,420 but that was one of the first things 503 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,460 we had to consider and eliminate. 504 00:21:26,560 --> 00:21:28,220 Was it a group of guys involved in that 505 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:30,320 that came back to get revenge? 506 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,900 - I thought it might have been somebody from the local guys 507 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:36,100 that he might have had some words with 508 00:21:36,200 --> 00:21:38,859 because the guys who were involved in that 509 00:21:38,959 --> 00:21:42,059 were some real, real serious guys. 510 00:21:42,159 --> 00:21:45,779 (suspenseful music) 511 00:21:45,879 --> 00:21:46,939 [Narrator] But as detectives dig 512 00:21:47,039 --> 00:21:48,539 through the old case files, 513 00:21:48,639 --> 00:21:50,579 they determined that none of the men involved 514 00:21:50,679 --> 00:21:53,619 in the prior incident were anywhere near Palmetto Bay 515 00:21:53,719 --> 00:21:55,718 on the night of Sean's murder. 516 00:21:56,918 --> 00:21:58,178 Some of the players involved 517 00:21:58,278 --> 00:22:00,538 were incarcerated at the time. 518 00:22:00,638 --> 00:22:01,738 One had moved out of town 519 00:22:01,838 --> 00:22:03,418 and we verified he was out of town, 520 00:22:03,518 --> 00:22:04,738 and the other one we couldn't tie in 521 00:22:04,838 --> 00:22:05,978 through any phone records. 522 00:22:06,078 --> 00:22:08,338 So we were able to quickly eliminate 523 00:22:08,438 --> 00:22:11,437 that as being one of the reasons why Sean Taylor was killed. 524 00:22:12,917 --> 00:22:15,177 - [Narrator] But if Sean wasn't the intended target, 525 00:22:15,277 --> 00:22:17,277 maybe his house was. 526 00:22:17,837 --> 00:22:20,097 Detectives learn a shocking new detail 527 00:22:20,197 --> 00:22:22,257 that gives credit to the theory. 528 00:22:22,357 --> 00:22:26,396 - Sean Taylor was not really supposed to be home that night. 529 00:22:28,236 --> 00:22:29,336 (suspenseful music) 530 00:22:29,436 --> 00:22:32,096 - [Narrator] Sean had a game against Tampa Bay that weekend, 531 00:22:32,196 --> 00:22:35,976 but he'd suffered an injury to his knee the week before. 532 00:22:36,076 --> 00:22:38,376 - Joe Gibbs, who was the head coach at the time, 533 00:22:38,476 --> 00:22:41,335 told Sean that he wasn't gonna be able to play that game. 534 00:22:41,435 --> 00:22:43,135 - [Narrator] But Sean was desperate to play 535 00:22:43,235 --> 00:22:46,035 in his home state and had other plans. 536 00:22:46,955 --> 00:22:47,735 Without telling anybody 537 00:22:47,835 --> 00:22:49,375 he flew in the night before 538 00:22:49,475 --> 00:22:51,495 to get a second opinion on his knee 539 00:22:51,595 --> 00:22:54,335 from one of the local doctors here in Miami. 540 00:22:54,435 --> 00:22:59,434 - That day he called me and told me that he was coming down. 541 00:23:00,554 --> 00:23:02,554 He wasn't gonna let anybody know. 542 00:23:03,274 --> 00:23:05,334 - His own father didn't know he was in town. 543 00:23:05,434 --> 00:23:06,254 That was Sean. 544 00:23:06,354 --> 00:23:07,294 Sean would do the things 545 00:23:07,394 --> 00:23:09,934 that you wouldn't expect him to do. 546 00:23:10,034 --> 00:23:12,493 - So the assumption is, while whoever broke in, 547 00:23:12,593 --> 00:23:14,293 they might have thought he was on the road, 548 00:23:14,393 --> 00:23:15,413 he was with the team. 549 00:23:15,513 --> 00:23:18,453 So they break in and something goes wrong 550 00:23:18,553 --> 00:23:20,453 and they're surprised by Sean Taylor, 551 00:23:20,553 --> 00:23:22,413 and Sean Taylor ends up getting killed. 552 00:23:22,513 --> 00:23:24,533 (dramatic music) 553 00:23:24,633 --> 00:23:26,892 - [Narrator] Detectives learn that Sean's younger brother 554 00:23:26,992 --> 00:23:29,052 and sister were allowed to stay at the house 555 00:23:29,152 --> 00:23:31,152 anytime he was in Washington. 556 00:23:32,072 --> 00:23:33,612 They're brought in for questioning 557 00:23:33,712 --> 00:23:36,892 and reveal another shocking detail. 558 00:23:36,992 --> 00:23:39,412 - We found out about an on November 18th burglary 559 00:23:39,512 --> 00:23:40,852 at the same residence. 560 00:23:40,952 --> 00:23:42,951 Nobody was home at the time. 561 00:23:43,351 --> 00:23:44,451 [Narrator] An intruder had attempted 562 00:23:44,551 --> 00:23:45,611 to break into the house 563 00:23:45,711 --> 00:23:48,411 just two weeks prior to Sean's murder. 564 00:23:48,511 --> 00:23:50,771 Sean's siblings weren't there at the time, 565 00:23:50,871 --> 00:23:53,091 and Sean was in Washington. 566 00:23:53,191 --> 00:23:55,291 His brother and sister had filed a report, 567 00:23:55,391 --> 00:23:57,091 but since nothing was taken, 568 00:23:57,191 --> 00:24:01,690 the case never went any further, that is until now. 569 00:24:01,790 --> 00:24:03,730 - That makes you think, hey, this is a pattern. 570 00:24:03,830 --> 00:24:05,610 Maybe this house is being targeted 571 00:24:05,710 --> 00:24:07,710 and being targeted for a reason. 572 00:24:08,710 --> 00:24:10,890 - [Narrator] Detective Segovia believes the perpetrator 573 00:24:10,990 --> 00:24:13,849 may be someone known to Sean and his family. 574 00:24:13,949 --> 00:24:16,249 Someone familiar with Sean's movements 575 00:24:16,349 --> 00:24:19,089 and the living situation at his house, 576 00:24:19,189 --> 00:24:21,869 in other words, an inside job. 577 00:24:23,309 --> 00:24:26,089 Sean's siblings tell detectives about several parties 578 00:24:26,189 --> 00:24:28,728 and barbecues they had thrown at Sean's house 579 00:24:28,828 --> 00:24:30,448 over the last few months. 580 00:24:30,548 --> 00:24:32,488 The guest list typically consisted 581 00:24:32,588 --> 00:24:34,588 of just a handful of people. 582 00:24:35,548 --> 00:24:37,528 It was, but who attends those barbecues? 583 00:24:37,628 --> 00:24:40,368 Who else knows house belongs to Sean Taylor? 584 00:24:40,468 --> 00:24:42,928 - [Narrator] Sean's siblings provide a list of names 585 00:24:43,028 --> 00:24:45,367 and numbers to the detectives. 586 00:24:45,467 --> 00:24:48,007 - I can't emphasise how important they were, 587 00:24:48,107 --> 00:24:50,327 especially when you have nothing to go on it 588 00:24:50,427 --> 00:24:51,727 initially in the case, 589 00:24:51,827 --> 00:24:54,467 or you don't know what's relevant in the investigation. 590 00:24:56,067 --> 00:24:57,767 [Narrator] Armed with a list of names, 591 00:24:57,867 --> 00:24:59,566 detectives look at every cell number 592 00:24:59,666 --> 00:25:02,286 that bounced off the closest tower to Sean's house 593 00:25:02,386 --> 00:25:03,606 at the time of the murder, 594 00:25:03,706 --> 00:25:06,446 hoping to find any matches. 595 00:25:06,546 --> 00:25:09,526 We knew exactly within a minute 596 00:25:09,626 --> 00:25:11,566 when Sean Taylor was shot. 597 00:25:11,666 --> 00:25:14,925 So we were able to request numbers from his home tower 598 00:25:15,025 --> 00:25:17,025 for a very specific amount of time. 599 00:25:18,025 --> 00:25:20,165 So you think three, four in the morning, 600 00:25:20,265 --> 00:25:21,685 only four people are talking on the phone. 601 00:25:21,785 --> 00:25:22,645 It's not the way it works, 602 00:25:22,745 --> 00:25:25,265 it's millions of phones, it's overwhelming. 603 00:25:26,265 --> 00:25:28,685 - [Narrator] Detectives study the numbers for hours 604 00:25:28,785 --> 00:25:31,784 before a pattern finally begins to emerge. 605 00:25:32,664 --> 00:25:37,004 - We see a couple of area code 239s picking up the tower 606 00:25:37,104 --> 00:25:40,444 and we're talking about a minute when Sean Taylor was shot 607 00:25:40,544 --> 00:25:42,404 inside his residence. 608 00:25:42,504 --> 00:25:44,284 Well, 239 area code 609 00:25:44,384 --> 00:25:47,103 is for the west coast of Florida, Fort Myers. 610 00:25:47,943 --> 00:25:49,963 Through the interviews with the sister 611 00:25:50,063 --> 00:25:54,283 and the brother, we had learned that they had connections, 612 00:25:54,383 --> 00:25:57,983 friends and other acquaintances from the Fort Myers area. 613 00:25:58,983 --> 00:26:00,683 - [Narrator] As they cross reference the numbers 614 00:26:00,783 --> 00:26:02,242 and the list of names, 615 00:26:02,342 --> 00:26:04,342 detectives get a promising hint. 616 00:26:07,142 --> 00:26:10,002 - The first name that came through was Jason Scott Mitchell, 617 00:26:10,102 --> 00:26:12,762 who ended up being somebody that was mentioned 618 00:26:12,862 --> 00:26:14,162 by Sean Taylor's family 619 00:26:14,262 --> 00:26:17,521 as being a frequent visitor to the residence. 620 00:26:17,621 --> 00:26:20,081 - He was someone that had been in the house. 621 00:26:20,181 --> 00:26:21,761 He's around enough that maybe 622 00:26:21,861 --> 00:26:24,481 he's someone that could have something to do with it. 623 00:26:24,581 --> 00:26:28,041 - It was like an energy thrust into all of us 624 00:26:28,141 --> 00:26:30,161 'cause for the first time in the case 625 00:26:30,261 --> 00:26:31,321 something's matching up. 626 00:26:31,421 --> 00:26:33,960 There's no coincidence that that person 627 00:26:34,060 --> 00:26:35,640 has been to that house before, 628 00:26:35,740 --> 00:26:36,660 and they happen to be hitting off 629 00:26:36,740 --> 00:26:39,240 the same exact tower of Sean Taylor 630 00:26:39,340 --> 00:26:41,340 at the time he gets shot. 631 00:26:43,380 --> 00:26:44,400 (suspenseful music) 632 00:26:44,500 --> 00:26:45,840 - [Narrator] The investigation into the murder 633 00:26:45,940 --> 00:26:50,919 of NFL star, Sean Taylor, has just taken a dramatic turn. 634 00:26:51,019 --> 00:26:54,319 Detectives have identified their first viable suspect, 635 00:26:54,419 --> 00:26:59,079 a 19 year old from Fort Myers named Jason Scott Mitchell. 636 00:26:59,179 --> 00:27:02,079 Jason had this connection to the family. 637 00:27:02,179 --> 00:27:04,598 He would even do odd things around the house. 638 00:27:04,698 --> 00:27:06,158 He was someone cops could look at 639 00:27:06,258 --> 00:27:08,518 and say maybe he might have something to do with it 640 00:27:08,618 --> 00:27:10,618 because he knows where things are. 641 00:27:12,138 --> 00:27:14,078 - [Narrator] Not only does cell phone data confirm 642 00:27:14,178 --> 00:27:15,758 that Mitchell was near the crime scene 643 00:27:15,858 --> 00:27:17,638 at the time Sean was shot, 644 00:27:17,738 --> 00:27:20,197 but police also begin receiving tips 645 00:27:20,297 --> 00:27:23,577 that provide even more details and names. 646 00:27:25,217 --> 00:27:27,797 We begin to get now new tips 647 00:27:27,897 --> 00:27:29,677 coming from the Fort Myers area 648 00:27:29,777 --> 00:27:33,637 about a group of young guys who are bragging 649 00:27:33,737 --> 00:27:37,336 about having been involved in the homicide of Sean Taylor. 650 00:27:38,176 --> 00:27:40,596 So now it's streamlining and it's solidifying 651 00:27:40,696 --> 00:27:42,696 the individuals that we need to talk to. 652 00:27:45,376 --> 00:27:47,636 - [Narrator] Investigators narrow the list of suspects 653 00:27:47,736 --> 00:27:50,555 down to four additional names, 654 00:27:50,655 --> 00:27:53,395 Eric Rivera, Timmy Brown, 655 00:27:53,495 --> 00:27:56,395 Venjah Hunte and Charles Wardlow. 656 00:27:56,495 --> 00:27:58,195 Once we've identified these numbers 657 00:27:58,295 --> 00:28:00,875 and we begin to gather intelligence about these individuals, 658 00:28:00,975 --> 00:28:02,975 we knew they were all associated. 659 00:28:03,975 --> 00:28:05,674 - [Narrator] Agencies from across the state 660 00:28:05,774 --> 00:28:08,514 hit the streets from Miami to Fort Myers 661 00:28:08,614 --> 00:28:11,454 looking for any sign of the five suspects. 662 00:28:12,454 --> 00:28:13,474 Not even an hour in, 663 00:28:13,574 --> 00:28:17,394 I was in the office and we immediately are notified 664 00:28:17,494 --> 00:28:19,794 that Eric Rivera had been located 665 00:28:19,894 --> 00:28:21,893 and he was gonna be interviewed. 666 00:28:24,733 --> 00:28:27,153 - [Narrator] On November 30th, detectives questioned 667 00:28:27,253 --> 00:28:29,193 17 year old Rivera. 668 00:28:29,293 --> 00:28:30,993 It was a very gentle approach 669 00:28:31,093 --> 00:28:33,353 and it wasn't even directly necessarily 670 00:28:33,453 --> 00:28:36,532 discussing a murder initially. 671 00:28:51,291 --> 00:28:53,151 - We got a lot of background information on him. 672 00:28:53,251 --> 00:28:56,471 Who he lived with, kind of car he drove, 673 00:28:56,571 --> 00:28:59,391 what grade he was in, what his activities were, 674 00:28:59,491 --> 00:29:01,491 sports he liked playing. 675 00:29:02,211 --> 00:29:03,151 According to Rivera, 676 00:29:03,251 --> 00:29:04,511 he went to the movies that night 677 00:29:04,611 --> 00:29:06,910 with his girlfriend and his mum. 678 00:29:07,010 --> 00:29:07,950 I told him very quickly, 679 00:29:08,050 --> 00:29:09,390 it'll be very easy to verify 680 00:29:09,490 --> 00:29:11,390 and we'll bring your girlfriend in, 681 00:29:11,490 --> 00:29:12,470 we'll bring your mum in. 682 00:29:12,570 --> 00:29:14,190 We'll interview people at the movie theatre. 683 00:29:14,290 --> 00:29:16,670 All that stuff checks out then couldn't have been you, 684 00:29:16,770 --> 00:29:20,250 no problem and I could tell that started weighing on him. 685 00:29:21,490 --> 00:29:24,709 - [Narrator] Rivera does his best to sidestep the questions 686 00:29:24,809 --> 00:29:28,349 until the interview takes an unexpected turn. 687 00:29:28,449 --> 00:29:31,229 - I remember seeing his eyes like just light up 688 00:29:31,329 --> 00:29:33,869 and I saw him looking at something and when I look back, 689 00:29:33,969 --> 00:29:35,629 I see Jason Scott Mitchell being walked into 690 00:29:35,729 --> 00:29:38,868 one of the other rooms and he sees that. 691 00:29:38,968 --> 00:29:40,828 It's a common tactic for police 692 00:29:40,928 --> 00:29:42,988 to kinda prime the pumps 693 00:29:43,088 --> 00:29:45,188 by letting one see the other 694 00:29:45,288 --> 00:29:49,108 because then, oh man, they have him here too. 695 00:29:49,208 --> 00:29:50,908 I better be the first to the table 696 00:29:51,008 --> 00:29:52,668 to start confessing, right? 697 00:29:52,768 --> 00:29:54,387 Let me pin all the blame on that guy. 698 00:29:54,487 --> 00:29:56,887 And ultimately Eric told the truth. 699 00:29:59,207 --> 00:30:01,587 - [Narrator] Rivera admits to taking part in the robbery 700 00:30:01,687 --> 00:30:03,347 on November 26th. 701 00:30:03,447 --> 00:30:05,747 But he says Mitchell was the mastermind, 702 00:30:05,847 --> 00:30:07,847 and the motive was money. 703 00:30:08,846 --> 00:30:10,706 Sean's brother would always brag 704 00:30:10,806 --> 00:30:13,306 about how much money there was in the house. 705 00:30:13,406 --> 00:30:16,266 Oh man, there's always, you know, 15, $20,000, 706 00:30:16,366 --> 00:30:19,326 $30,000 in the house all time. 707 00:30:21,486 --> 00:30:23,785 Eric Rivera, Jason Scott Mitchell, 708 00:30:23,885 --> 00:30:27,185 Charles Wardlow, Venjah Hunte and Timmy Lee Brown. 709 00:30:27,285 --> 00:30:29,905 They entered the residence exactly the way we suspected. 710 00:30:30,005 --> 00:30:31,345 They had a crowbar, 711 00:30:31,445 --> 00:30:33,445 they pried the door open, 712 00:30:34,005 --> 00:30:36,005 and they proceeded to enter the house 713 00:30:37,965 --> 00:30:39,744 and begin to look through all the rooms 714 00:30:39,844 --> 00:30:41,664 looking for this money. 715 00:30:41,764 --> 00:30:44,064 - [Narrator] But they didn't find anything. 716 00:30:44,164 --> 00:30:46,584 Rivera says the group was getting nervous 717 00:30:46,684 --> 00:30:48,984 and some of them wanted to leave. 718 00:30:49,084 --> 00:30:50,064 They make the decision, listen, 719 00:30:50,164 --> 00:30:52,384 there's only like basically one room left to look in, 720 00:30:52,484 --> 00:30:55,023 so that's it, let's get down to it. 721 00:30:55,123 --> 00:30:57,383 And that's when they attempt to enter 722 00:30:57,483 --> 00:30:59,483 Sean Taylor's bedroom. 723 00:31:11,162 --> 00:31:13,622 - What he doesn't realise on the other side of that door, 724 00:31:13,722 --> 00:31:16,462 Jackie has already been awakened by a noise. 725 00:31:16,562 --> 00:31:18,462 She's already woke up Sean Taylor, 726 00:31:18,562 --> 00:31:21,382 and Sean reaches behind the headboard of a bed 727 00:31:21,482 --> 00:31:23,482 and brings up the machete. 728 00:31:25,202 --> 00:31:26,581 [Narrator] Since Shawn had been charged 729 00:31:26,681 --> 00:31:30,021 with brandishing a firearm when he went after his ATVs, 730 00:31:30,121 --> 00:31:33,261 he was no longer allowed to have a gun in his possession, 731 00:31:33,361 --> 00:31:36,601 instead his machete was his only protection. 732 00:31:37,761 --> 00:31:39,141 He normally would have a weapon. 733 00:31:39,241 --> 00:31:41,180 There was so many things that could have changed things, 734 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,620 but you know, what can I say? 735 00:31:43,720 --> 00:31:44,700 (dramatic music) 736 00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,180 - [Narrator] When Rivera kicked in the door, 737 00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:51,620 6 ft 2, 230 pound NFL safety, Sean Taylor 738 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,100 was there waiting for it. 739 00:32:04,919 --> 00:32:06,499 (dramatic music) 740 00:32:06,599 --> 00:32:07,339 (gun shots) 741 00:32:07,439 --> 00:32:09,699 - He just lifted up the gun and fired at one time. 742 00:32:09,799 --> 00:32:10,739 And according to Rivera, 743 00:32:10,839 --> 00:32:13,298 he just dropped right there on the spot. 744 00:32:13,398 --> 00:32:16,658 (glass shattering) 745 00:32:16,758 --> 00:32:17,538 At the end of the day, 746 00:32:17,638 --> 00:32:19,018 they left with nothing, 747 00:32:19,118 --> 00:32:20,618 and somebody died for nothing. 748 00:32:20,718 --> 00:32:21,978 Totally for nothing. 749 00:32:22,078 --> 00:32:24,298 (dramatic music) 750 00:32:24,398 --> 00:32:26,698 - [Narrator] Shootings are nothing new to Miami, 751 00:32:26,798 --> 00:32:29,297 but Sean's murder was especially difficult 752 00:32:29,397 --> 00:32:32,057 for everyone in the city to process. 753 00:32:32,157 --> 00:32:34,977 - I've covered countless shootings in Miami 754 00:32:35,077 --> 00:32:37,097 and I can't tell you how many times I've written about 755 00:32:37,197 --> 00:32:41,657 people literally getting shot up 10, 11, 12 times 756 00:32:41,757 --> 00:32:45,736 and managing to survive these God awful bullet injuries. 757 00:32:45,836 --> 00:32:49,576 But this really was a maddening case 758 00:32:49,676 --> 00:32:53,576 because a man that age in his athletic prime superstar, 759 00:32:53,676 --> 00:32:55,616 famous person with a growing young family 760 00:32:55,716 --> 00:32:58,915 is not supposed to die in that way so suddenly. 761 00:32:59,955 --> 00:33:02,295 (suspenseful music) 762 00:33:02,395 --> 00:33:05,095 - [Narrator] Police now have five suspects in custody 763 00:33:05,195 --> 00:33:08,975 for the murder of rising NFL star, Sean Taylor. 764 00:33:09,075 --> 00:33:12,615 17 year old Eric Rivera has already confessed 765 00:33:12,715 --> 00:33:14,174 to pulling the trigger, 766 00:33:14,274 --> 00:33:16,214 and now detectives turn their attention 767 00:33:16,314 --> 00:33:20,054 to the alleged mastermind Jason Scott Mitchell. 768 00:33:20,154 --> 00:33:21,934 Jason Mitchell starts talking. 769 00:33:22,034 --> 00:33:24,654 He really minimises his involvement by saying, 770 00:33:24,754 --> 00:33:26,814 "Yes, I had seen the money there before, 771 00:33:26,914 --> 00:33:29,453 "but really we were only there to break in. 772 00:33:29,553 --> 00:33:30,613 "I didn't have the gun. 773 00:33:30,713 --> 00:33:32,873 "I wasn't going there to kill anybody". 774 00:33:34,793 --> 00:33:36,453 [Narrator] In the process of confessing, 775 00:33:36,553 --> 00:33:38,933 Mitchell also admits to breaking into Sean's house 776 00:33:39,033 --> 00:33:41,033 a couple of weeks before. 777 00:33:41,633 --> 00:33:43,013 On that previous attempt, 778 00:33:43,113 --> 00:33:46,232 he'd gone by himself but walked away empty-handed. 779 00:33:48,352 --> 00:33:49,332 Just a week later, 780 00:33:49,432 --> 00:33:51,572 he attended another party at the house, 781 00:33:51,672 --> 00:33:53,052 and overheard Sean's brother 782 00:33:53,152 --> 00:33:55,152 talking about the failed attempt. 783 00:33:56,152 --> 00:33:57,692 Sean Taylor's brother mentions, 784 00:33:57,792 --> 00:33:59,132 "Man, somebody broke in the house 785 00:33:59,232 --> 00:34:01,451 "and they're so dumb they never realised that 786 00:34:01,551 --> 00:34:03,171 "I keep all my money in a shoebox 787 00:34:03,271 --> 00:34:05,331 "right next to the nightstand". 788 00:34:05,431 --> 00:34:06,491 He goes back to Fort Myers 789 00:34:06,591 --> 00:34:10,191 and he now decides he's gotta gather more people. 790 00:34:11,191 --> 00:34:13,131 So he recruits his little buddies 791 00:34:13,231 --> 00:34:14,331 to come along with him this time 792 00:34:14,431 --> 00:34:15,810 and break into the house, 793 00:34:15,910 --> 00:34:17,010 and they're gonna look for those money 794 00:34:17,110 --> 00:34:19,110 and they're gonna find it this time. 795 00:34:20,910 --> 00:34:23,290 - These guys travelled from Fort Myers thinking, 796 00:34:23,390 --> 00:34:25,050 "Hey Sean Taylor the football star, 797 00:34:25,150 --> 00:34:28,210 "the rich football star isn't in town right now, 798 00:34:28,310 --> 00:34:29,690 "so we'll have free reign. 799 00:34:29,790 --> 00:34:30,730 "We can ransack the house, 800 00:34:30,830 --> 00:34:32,649 "we'll go straight for the money". 801 00:34:32,749 --> 00:34:34,169 And that's not what happened. 802 00:34:34,269 --> 00:34:36,529 (gun shots) 803 00:34:36,629 --> 00:34:38,529 [Narrator] Their tragic miscalculation 804 00:34:38,629 --> 00:34:42,009 cost Sean Taylor his life, and left his girlfriend 805 00:34:42,109 --> 00:34:44,229 and young daughter wounded forever. 806 00:34:45,069 --> 00:34:46,049 It's kind of like, 807 00:34:46,149 --> 00:34:49,408 gosh, you gotta be careful who you have in your circle, 808 00:34:49,508 --> 00:34:52,608 but then who your family members have in their circle, 809 00:34:52,708 --> 00:34:53,768 'cause you just never know 810 00:34:53,868 --> 00:34:55,568 who may be looking at something that you have 811 00:34:55,668 --> 00:34:57,328 and may want it. 812 00:34:57,428 --> 00:35:00,128 - Venjah Hunte ended up taking two pairs of sneakers, 813 00:35:00,228 --> 00:35:02,407 and that's all they took from the house. 814 00:35:02,507 --> 00:35:03,967 [Narrator] On the way out of Miami, 815 00:35:04,067 --> 00:35:06,527 they dumped the gun in the Everglades. 816 00:35:06,627 --> 00:35:08,327 - They took all the stuff they were wearing 817 00:35:08,427 --> 00:35:10,967 and they took the gun, put it inside one of the socks, 818 00:35:11,067 --> 00:35:15,167 and they flung it into the Everglades right off the road. 819 00:35:15,267 --> 00:35:17,906 We attempted to, but we never recovered the property. 820 00:35:19,626 --> 00:35:21,966 - [Narrator] Mitchell puts all the blame on Rivera, 821 00:35:22,066 --> 00:35:25,026 but it does nothing to save him from murder charges. 822 00:35:25,946 --> 00:35:28,286 - Jason Mitchell places all the blame on Eric Rivera 823 00:35:28,386 --> 00:35:29,526 because he was a trigger man, 824 00:35:29,626 --> 00:35:30,606 (gun shots) 825 00:35:30,706 --> 00:35:33,045 and Eric Rivera places all the blame on Jason Mitchell 826 00:35:33,145 --> 00:35:34,885 because he was the mastermind, 827 00:35:34,985 --> 00:35:35,925 but at the end of the day 828 00:35:36,025 --> 00:35:38,945 the police believed that they were equally as responsible. 829 00:35:40,585 --> 00:35:42,005 [Narrator] The other three assailant, 830 00:35:42,105 --> 00:35:46,785 Wardlow, Brown and Hunte all eventually confess as well. 831 00:35:48,105 --> 00:35:50,764 - They all ended up giving complete confessions. 832 00:35:50,864 --> 00:35:53,684 All the stories matched almost exactly. 833 00:35:53,784 --> 00:35:56,204 So we knew that we had a pretty good understanding 834 00:35:56,304 --> 00:35:58,324 of what happened that night. 835 00:35:58,424 --> 00:36:00,164 [Narrator] With confessions in hand, 836 00:36:00,264 --> 00:36:03,004 Miami police charge all five of the teenagers 837 00:36:03,104 --> 00:36:06,483 with armed burglary and second degree murder. 838 00:36:06,583 --> 00:36:08,163 It was like the weight of the world 839 00:36:08,263 --> 00:36:09,843 have been lifted off my shoulders, 840 00:36:09,943 --> 00:36:13,923 calling a next of kin to tell 'em that we figured out 841 00:36:14,023 --> 00:36:16,023 who killed your loved one. 842 00:36:16,743 --> 00:36:19,083 [Narrator] But the news is bittersweet. 843 00:36:19,183 --> 00:36:21,962 - You have so many questions that they can't be answered. 844 00:36:22,062 --> 00:36:24,702 You know, we wanna know what they were thinking. 845 00:36:25,582 --> 00:36:26,922 I wanna know what he was thinking, 846 00:36:27,022 --> 00:36:28,802 what his girlfriend was thinking. 847 00:36:28,902 --> 00:36:30,482 That situation is something that 848 00:36:30,582 --> 00:36:32,622 nobody should ever have to be put in. 849 00:36:33,582 --> 00:36:35,601 - [Narrator] For Sean's fans and teammates, 850 00:36:35,701 --> 00:36:37,901 the pain runs just as deep. 851 00:36:39,061 --> 00:36:40,681 - This was in the middle of the football season 852 00:36:40,781 --> 00:36:41,841 when this happened. 853 00:36:41,941 --> 00:36:44,201 Your star safety is suddenly no longer there, 854 00:36:44,301 --> 00:36:46,681 and all his teammates are devastated. 855 00:36:46,781 --> 00:36:49,041 He loved the fans, they loved him, 856 00:36:49,141 --> 00:36:51,140 and I actually became a rescue fan 857 00:36:51,940 --> 00:36:54,600 because I've never seen a fan base 858 00:36:54,700 --> 00:36:57,220 so committed to their team. 859 00:37:00,140 --> 00:37:01,920 [Narrator] As both Miami and Washington 860 00:37:02,020 --> 00:37:04,760 come to grips with the loss of their superstar, 861 00:37:04,860 --> 00:37:07,439 prosecutors ready the cases for trial. 862 00:37:07,539 --> 00:37:09,119 They received some good news 863 00:37:09,219 --> 00:37:12,919 when one in the group decides to turn on the others. 864 00:37:13,019 --> 00:37:15,519 - In the first couple months after the arrest were made, 865 00:37:15,619 --> 00:37:17,619 Venjah Hunte agreed to a plea, 866 00:37:18,539 --> 00:37:21,458 so he became a cooperating witness on the case. 867 00:37:22,618 --> 00:37:24,958 - [Narrator] But sadly, their early momentum 868 00:37:25,058 --> 00:37:26,798 comes to a screeching halt. 869 00:37:26,898 --> 00:37:29,998 The trials are postponed a total of nine times 870 00:37:30,098 --> 00:37:32,898 due to court backups and scheduling delays. 871 00:37:35,538 --> 00:37:38,397 A full six years passes since Sean's death 872 00:37:38,497 --> 00:37:40,497 without any resolution. 873 00:37:41,017 --> 00:37:43,917 - It was a long and tortured pass to get there. 874 00:37:44,017 --> 00:37:45,237 There was a lot of hearings, 875 00:37:45,337 --> 00:37:46,877 there was a lot of media coverage. 876 00:37:46,977 --> 00:37:50,157 There was a lot of legal fights in the run-up. 877 00:37:50,257 --> 00:37:52,556 - [Narrator] Sean's loved ones begin to wonder 878 00:37:52,656 --> 00:37:56,116 if he will ever get the justice he deserves. 879 00:37:56,216 --> 00:37:58,476 It didn't feel too good, you know, 880 00:37:58,576 --> 00:38:00,576 it wasn't a good situation. 881 00:38:01,456 --> 00:38:03,876 You see 'em go from anger to sadness, 882 00:38:03,976 --> 00:38:06,436 to indifference to frustration, 883 00:38:06,536 --> 00:38:09,295 and you just run the gamut of all the emotions. 884 00:38:10,975 --> 00:38:12,355 [Narrator] Even with all the waiting, 885 00:38:12,455 --> 00:38:15,455 there's still no guarantee of a good outcome. 886 00:38:16,295 --> 00:38:19,075 Trials are very, very unpredictable, 887 00:38:19,175 --> 00:38:21,555 you're asking 12 people to agree on something. 888 00:38:21,655 --> 00:38:22,994 Nowadays you can't get people to agree 889 00:38:23,094 --> 00:38:24,354 on basically anything. 890 00:38:24,454 --> 00:38:26,514 What we found out as the case went on is that 891 00:38:26,614 --> 00:38:30,314 there was a lot of turmoil within the jurors themselves. 892 00:38:30,414 --> 00:38:33,474 - [Narrator] And that turmoil might be just enough reason 893 00:38:33,574 --> 00:38:36,874 to allow one of Sean's killers to walk free. 894 00:38:36,974 --> 00:38:38,553 Eric Rivera took the stand 895 00:38:38,653 --> 00:38:43,653 and insisted that he was forced into confessing. 896 00:38:44,453 --> 00:38:45,953 [Narrator] After six long years. 897 00:38:46,053 --> 00:38:48,073 The first trial in the murder of NFL star 898 00:38:48,173 --> 00:38:50,753 Sean Taylor, finally begins. 899 00:38:50,853 --> 00:38:53,353 Eric Rivera, the confessed gunman 900 00:38:53,453 --> 00:38:55,452 is the first to face the jury. 901 00:38:56,292 --> 00:38:58,792 - Eric Rivera really was the main attraction 902 00:38:58,892 --> 00:39:00,392 because he was the trigger man, 903 00:39:00,492 --> 00:39:02,112 so everybody wanted to know 904 00:39:02,212 --> 00:39:04,392 what's gonna happen with his case. 905 00:39:04,492 --> 00:39:05,672 [Narrator] Rivera's confession 906 00:39:05,772 --> 00:39:08,352 is the centre point of the state's case. 907 00:39:08,452 --> 00:39:11,871 - We finally got to see in Eric Rivera's own words 908 00:39:11,971 --> 00:39:15,311 what his account of what happened that night was. 909 00:39:15,411 --> 00:39:16,791 [Narrator] But Rivera's defence team 910 00:39:16,891 --> 00:39:19,351 raises questions about the confession. 911 00:39:19,451 --> 00:39:21,231 They argue that Rivera's interview 912 00:39:21,331 --> 00:39:22,911 lasted over 10 hours, 913 00:39:23,011 --> 00:39:26,830 but only a few minutes were actually recorded by police. 914 00:39:26,930 --> 00:39:28,630 They asked the jury to imagine 915 00:39:28,730 --> 00:39:31,030 what could have happened in the interrogation room 916 00:39:31,130 --> 00:39:33,130 when the camera was off. 917 00:39:33,810 --> 00:39:35,590 The defence was basically, 918 00:39:35,690 --> 00:39:37,070 it was a false confession, 919 00:39:37,170 --> 00:39:39,470 that whole time he was being brow beaten, 920 00:39:39,570 --> 00:39:40,909 he was being coerced, 921 00:39:41,009 --> 00:39:43,009 he was being told what to say. 922 00:39:44,009 --> 00:39:45,629 [Narrator] Rivera takes the stand 923 00:39:45,729 --> 00:39:47,069 and tells a much different story 924 00:39:47,169 --> 00:39:49,329 from what the jury heard during the video. 925 00:39:51,409 --> 00:39:52,469 Eric Rivera got on the stand 926 00:39:52,569 --> 00:39:54,429 and he tried to blame Venjah Hunte 927 00:39:54,529 --> 00:39:57,148 and say that he was the one that brought the gun, 928 00:39:57,248 --> 00:39:59,468 that he was the one who did the firing. 929 00:39:59,568 --> 00:40:01,428 It's a risky strategy at trial 930 00:40:01,528 --> 00:40:04,468 because you're still admitting 931 00:40:04,568 --> 00:40:06,428 to taking part in the burglary, 932 00:40:06,528 --> 00:40:07,908 but with a videotaped confession 933 00:40:08,008 --> 00:40:10,528 it probably was the only way they could handle it. 934 00:40:12,567 --> 00:40:13,587 [Narrator] On some level, 935 00:40:13,687 --> 00:40:17,227 the bold move actually seems to pay off. 936 00:40:17,327 --> 00:40:19,387 There was one person in that jury 937 00:40:19,487 --> 00:40:20,667 who did not feel comfortable 938 00:40:20,767 --> 00:40:24,727 sending a young male to prison for the rest of his life. 939 00:40:25,567 --> 00:40:28,186 Final result was what we call a compromised verdict. 940 00:40:28,286 --> 00:40:30,946 They ended up finding him guilty of armed burglary 941 00:40:31,046 --> 00:40:33,486 and the homicide, but not using the firearm. 942 00:40:34,326 --> 00:40:36,226 [Narrator] Instead of automatic life, 943 00:40:36,326 --> 00:40:39,806 Rivera is sentenced to 57 and a half years. 944 00:40:40,646 --> 00:40:42,985 - To this day, I will never forget about that trial 945 00:40:43,085 --> 00:40:44,745 or my dealings with Eric Rivera 946 00:40:44,845 --> 00:40:47,125 is that he has never shown remorse, 947 00:40:47,965 --> 00:40:49,965 ever for what he did. 948 00:40:51,645 --> 00:40:53,865 - [Narrator] The group's ring leader, Jason Mitchell 949 00:40:53,965 --> 00:40:57,565 stands trial the following year in May, 2014. 950 00:40:58,404 --> 00:41:00,704 - Jason Mitchell did not testify in this trial, 951 00:41:00,804 --> 00:41:02,904 which probably was the right call. 952 00:41:03,004 --> 00:41:04,544 His statement was played, 953 00:41:04,644 --> 00:41:06,844 so the jury got to hear all of it 954 00:41:07,804 --> 00:41:08,664 but at the end of the day, 955 00:41:08,764 --> 00:41:11,504 he couldn't get past the fact that he was the mastermind 956 00:41:11,604 --> 00:41:14,063 and that he was the one that set everything in motion 957 00:41:14,163 --> 00:41:16,103 and the jury believed it. 958 00:41:16,203 --> 00:41:18,443 - Despite not being the shooter, he got life. 959 00:41:19,363 --> 00:41:20,623 I think at that point, 960 00:41:20,723 --> 00:41:23,623 the remaining two realised it's all the writing on the wall. 961 00:41:23,723 --> 00:41:25,783 They realised, oh, we better just plead this out 962 00:41:25,883 --> 00:41:28,602 and try to reduce the amount of time we're gonna spend. 963 00:41:30,802 --> 00:41:32,622 - [Narrator] Venjah Hunte has already accepted 964 00:41:32,722 --> 00:41:34,422 a 29 year plea deal. 965 00:41:34,522 --> 00:41:38,122 Now Charles Wardlow is sentenced to 30 years as well. 966 00:41:39,202 --> 00:41:41,622 The youngest defendant, Timmy Lee Brown, 967 00:41:41,722 --> 00:41:45,341 takes a plea in exchange for 18 years. 968 00:41:45,441 --> 00:41:47,541 I think Pete Taylor, Sean Taylor's dad, 969 00:41:47,641 --> 00:41:49,941 he was a little more forgiving by that time, 970 00:41:50,041 --> 00:41:52,741 and maybe saw maybe something in Timmy Lee Brown, you know, 971 00:41:52,841 --> 00:41:55,281 maybe giving him a chance at a life someday. 972 00:41:56,561 --> 00:41:59,221 Venjah Hunte was another guy involved 973 00:41:59,321 --> 00:42:01,980 that I don't believe by any means he's a bad kid. 974 00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:03,900 Just did something really, really stupid 975 00:42:04,000 --> 00:42:06,580 that ended up costing somebody's life. 976 00:42:06,680 --> 00:42:08,860 There's no doubt that I think when Venjah gets out, 977 00:42:08,960 --> 00:42:11,500 that he'll be able to be a productive member of society. 978 00:42:11,600 --> 00:42:13,300 I hope he has learned his lesson, 979 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:14,979 and I hope Timmy Lee Brown at least, you know, 980 00:42:15,079 --> 00:42:17,759 they he'll come out and do something with their lives. 981 00:42:19,079 --> 00:42:20,099 (gentle music) 982 00:42:20,199 --> 00:42:23,259 - [Narrator] Nearly 15 years after Sean Taylor's murder, 983 00:42:23,359 --> 00:42:25,179 his legacy lives on, 984 00:42:25,279 --> 00:42:26,899 not only for his loved ones, 985 00:42:26,999 --> 00:42:28,659 but for the thousands of fans 986 00:42:28,759 --> 00:42:31,338 whose lives he touched as well. 987 00:42:31,438 --> 00:42:32,738 Nah, it is not a day that goes by 988 00:42:32,838 --> 00:42:34,538 that there's not somebody talking about him, you know, 989 00:42:34,638 --> 00:42:38,238 so I know he had a big impact on the world. 990 00:42:39,078 --> 00:42:42,658 You go to a game and his jersey is still the dominant jersey 991 00:42:42,758 --> 00:42:44,498 in the stadium. 992 00:42:44,598 --> 00:42:47,497 Lets you know that, you know, I mean, 993 00:42:47,597 --> 00:42:49,897 kids that weren't even born 994 00:42:49,997 --> 00:42:51,997 are wearing this jersey. 995 00:42:52,517 --> 00:42:55,537 - I don't think it really registered even until today 996 00:42:55,637 --> 00:42:57,337 totally how much he meant. 997 00:42:57,437 --> 00:42:58,897 But I know he was, you know, 998 00:42:58,997 --> 00:43:03,216 he loved everyone and he cared for the community and family. 999 00:43:03,316 --> 00:43:04,776 (gentle upbeat music) 1000 00:43:04,876 --> 00:43:07,176 - You know that one bullet changed the trajectory 1001 00:43:07,276 --> 00:43:10,056 of his family's, his parents' life, 1002 00:43:10,156 --> 00:43:11,536 his girlfriend's life, 1003 00:43:11,636 --> 00:43:14,136 his young daughter who's not gonna remember much of anything 1004 00:43:14,236 --> 00:43:15,976 about her father in person, 1005 00:43:16,076 --> 00:43:19,895 and the trajectory of a whole football franchise. 1006 00:43:19,995 --> 00:43:21,815 Now the whole franchise has been in turmoil 1007 00:43:21,915 --> 00:43:23,915 for decades since then. 1008 00:43:24,555 --> 00:43:26,975 It really is just a terrible story 1009 00:43:27,075 --> 00:43:29,075 that just continues to percolate. 1010 00:43:30,195 --> 00:43:32,134 He was a great football player, 1011 00:43:32,234 --> 00:43:33,574 he was a great father, 1012 00:43:33,674 --> 00:43:35,494 great cousin, brother, 1013 00:43:35,594 --> 00:43:38,014 but he hadn't even started, you know, 1014 00:43:38,114 --> 00:43:40,454 and to have that taken is really hard 1015 00:43:40,554 --> 00:43:43,574 because I knew he had plans, 1016 00:43:43,674 --> 00:43:47,374 he had dreams and things that he wanted to do 1017 00:43:47,474 --> 00:43:49,473 that never happened. 1018 00:43:49,873 --> 00:43:53,033 (gentle upbeat music)