State seeking death penalty for Palm Bay man accused of killing family

PALM BAY, Fla. - The state attorney's office is seeking the death penalty for a Palm Bay man accused of killing three of his family members and injuring his nephew in the shooting.

On March 19, the state filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty for Ta'Shawn Taylor, a 26-year-old man accused of killing 60-year-old Angella Suglam, 79-year-old Stephen Suglam, and 31-year-old Lisa Suglam and injuring his 15-year-old nephew.

Prosecutors said the murders were "committed in a cold, calculated, and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification."

Taylor was indicted by a Brevard Grand Jury back on February 20 for three counts of first-degree premeditated murder as well as two counts of attempted first-degree murder for shooting his nephew Kamauri Curry and 59-year-old Gary Taylor.

A 10-year-old was also inside the home, hiding underneath a bed during the shooting and was unharmed.

Taylor fled from the scene following the shootings but was taken into custody after his vehicle was later identified after being seen on Babcock Street.

People who knew the victims are still in shock and believe mental health played into the deadly rampage.

"It’s just been hard on the whole community just to try to figure out why this happened. A young lady and her entire family is gone in one night. That’s a very difficult thing," said Alex Goins, a youth football coach. "Anytime anyone takes virtually their entire family, there has to be some mental situation going on."

Goins said the community is committed to helping the surviving children.

The motive for the shootings is still unclear.