Mother Of 4 Murdered In Brandon Apartment Complex

BRANDON, FL -- The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says a 25-year-old mother of four was found killed Tuesday in the Charleston Landings Apartments, 918 Delaney Circle, off Lumdsen and Providence roads. Detectives say she was the victim of domestic violence at the hands of her boyfriend, 26-year-old John James McQueen.

The sheriff's office received a call around 12:30 p.m. from a person who said McQueen had contacted her to tell her he had harmed his girlfriend. He told the caller that he wasn't sure if his girlfriend was dead or not.

While deputies tried to locate the apartment of the woman, the Tampa Police Department began a search for her McQueen, eventually locating him at a convenience store in Tampa.

Sheriff's deputies found the woman dead of trauma inside her apartment. They have not released her name.

The dead woman has four children, including a 3-month-old baby with McQueen.

Sheriff Chad Chronister isn't sure if he was living with the mother of his child at the time of her death.

"We are in the process of obtaining a search warrant now, so we can go into the home and find out more," he said.

He said the homicide occurred Tuesday morning. All four children were at a daycare center at the time and were not injured.

McQueen is currently on probation for a domestic violence arrest involving his girlfriend and was recently arrested for another domestic violence incident in which his girlfriend was the victim, Chronister said. There are other incidents of domestic violence between the couple as well.

Chronister took the opportunity to remind domestic violence victims that they are not alone.

"There is help for you. The Spring of Tampa Bay is a phenomenal, a tremendous resource for help resource to get you the help you need," he said. "You don't have to live another second in some type of dysfunctional household where you have to feel like you're a victim of any type of violence. Please, seek the help that you need.

McQueen has been charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence.

Patch will provide more details as they are released.