Update (June 22, 2020): A 49-year-old man has confessed to killing 19-year-old activist Oluwatoyin “Toyin” Salau and retired state worker Victoria Sims. According to the Tallahassee Democrat, Aaron Glee Jr. made the confession several times, describing the incident to the Tallahassee Police Department and the Orlando Police Department.
Glee said he raped Salau and kept her as a prisoner in his home in Tallahassee for several days before killing her. According to police documents, he said he met Salau at a bus stop on June 6 and the two of them talked for about an hour. Glee said that’s when the 19-year-old talked about her experience of being sexually assaulted and not having any place to stay.
The student then agreed to go to Glee’s home so she could rest and take a shower, according to the documents. Glee said he called Sims to come and give the two of them a ride from the bus stop. Sims, 75, who was serving as a community volunteer, was used to running errands for Glee.
"It was reported that 'Aaron,' who did not own his own vehicle, often obtained transportation from Sims," the document stated, according to WTXL.
After going back home with Salau and allowing her to take a shower, Glee said he "attempted to engage her in sexual activity,” but she resisted and bit him on the arm.
"Glee said he physically overpowered Salau. He was asked if he would characterize his actions as rape," the documents stated. "Glee responded in the affirmative."
Glee said he kept Salau in his home for three to five days but that he isn’t sure about how much time exactly passed because he was “heavily under the influence of alcohol.”
"Glee stated that he was aware he would be arrested and likely sentenced to prison if he allowed Salau to leave the residence," investigators said. "Glee indicated he determined that his only course of action was to end her life."
Investigators said Glee tied the victim up with a rope, making it difficult for her to breathe, and left her in a bedroom.
"Glee explained how over the course of several hours he would re-enter the bedroom multiple times to see if (Salau) was still alive," the document states. “Ultimately, he entered into the bedroom and determined [she] was deceased."
Police said they responded to Glee's home on June 13 and found Sims' Toyota stuck in the mud outside of the home, with a sheet placed over the back of the car and the license plate bent up to hide the plate number. Inside the home, officers found Sims’ body with her arms and feet tied up. Investigators believe Glee kidnapped Sims from her home and stole her car.
Police said they continued to search Glee’s home after finding Sims and found Salau behind the house, with her body covered with leaves. Glee was detained at a Greyhound station on June 14 and taken to the hospital because he complained about problems with his breathing.
Investigators said he confessed to the killing at the hospital, talking to the officer who was guarding him and to his mother on the phone. Glee admitted to it again when talking with investigators. Glee is being held without bond after being charged with two counts of kidnapping, two counts of murder and one count of sexual assault. Police said Glee had been arrested on May 30 and released on June 1 after attacking an unnamed victim.
Looking up the suspect's record now. Looks like Aaron Glee got arrested in #Tallahassee on May 30 for aggravated assault causing bodily harm and/or disability and again June 6 for battery. pic.twitter.com/B6AQ4Hh2ac
— Jeffrey Burlew (@JeffBurlew) June 15, 2020
Video footage from the bus station captured Glee’s encounter with Salau on the day they met, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.
"That footage also demonstrated that she and Glee did engage in an extended conversation while seated on a bench at the bus stop," investigators said. "At approximately 7:07 p.m., a white Toyota, the same make and model of the one owned by Sims, arrived in the area of the bus stop. Glee and (Salau) departed in that Toyota moments later."
Before she went missing on June 6, Salau shared a man had sexually assaulted her on Twitter, as Blavity previously reported.
“I was molested in Tallahassee, Florida by a black man this morning at 5:30 on Richview and Park Ave,” she wrote. “The man offered to give me a ride to find someplace to sleep and recollect my belongings from a church I refuged to a couple days back to escape unjust living conditions.”
She said the man came “disguised as a man of God and ended up picking [her] up from nearby Saxon Street.”
“I entered his truck only because I carry anything to defend myself not even a phone (which is currently at the church) and I have poor vision,” she wrote. “I trusted the holy spirit to keep me safe.”
Salau was well-known in her community for leading Black Lives Matter demonstrations and reciting the names of Black victims of police brutality.
Original (June 16, 2020): Police in Tallahassee, Florida, have arrested a man they believe is responsible for the death of 19-year-old activist Oluwatoyin Salau, according to local news outlet WCTV.
Salau, known affectionately as Toyin by friends, gave a moving speech at a Black Lives Matter rally last week and has been an active protester in Florida over the past two weeks.
Her infectious speeches and steadfast commitment to supporting Black women and Black trans people pushed her into prominence as protests have broken out around the world following the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police officers.
activist Oluwatoyin Salau was missing since June 6, after disturbing tweets detailing a sexual assault that had taken place that day. it has been reported that her body has been found. WHAT HAPPENED TO TOYIN? SAY HER NAME #JusticeforToyin
pic.twitter.com/76PM2PJEjk— dylan zo’brien (@kurtzobain) June 15, 2020
The Tallahassee Police Department arrested 49-year-old Aaron Glee Jr., who police think could also be responsible for the murder of 75-year-old Victoria Sims.
In a press release, the TPD said officers found the bodies of Salau and Sims on Sunday near Monday Road.
According to police, Glee had been arrested on May 30 for aggravated battery causing bodily harm after he attacked an unnamed victim, with police adding that he told them he frequently helped homeless people. He was released on June 1.
WCTV reported that neither of the victims was the one who was involved in the May 30 incident. But thousands of people have written about Salau's tragic story because some of her last tweets are about being sexually assaulted before she went missing on June 6.
Anyways I was molested in Tallahassee, Florida by a black man this morning at 5:30 on Richview and Park Ave. The man offered to give me a ride to find someplace to sleep and recollect my belongings from a church I refuged to a couple days back to escape unjust living conditions.
— Oluwatoyin (@virgingrltoyin) June 6, 2020
When we arrived at his house he offered me a shower and I thanked him and shower and he gave me a change of clothes. He exposed himself to me by peeing with the bathroom open obviously knowing I was out of it. I told him about a sexual assault situation that happened…
— Oluwatoyin (@virgingrltoyin) June 6, 2020
"I did not fall asleep. He then asked me if I wanted a massage at this moment his roommate who was in the house was asleep. I was laying on my stomach trying to calm myself down from severe ptsd. He started touching my back and rubbing my body using my body until he climaxed and then went to sleep. Before I realized what happened to me I looked over and his clothes were completely off. Once I saw he was asleep I escaped from the house and started walking from Richview Road to anywhere else," she wrote on Twitter.
Literally wearing this man's clothes right now DNA all over me because I couldn't locate his house the moment I called the police because I couldn't see.
— Oluwatoyin (@virgingrltoyin) June 6, 2020
Black women have connected to Salau's story because she spoke about the unfairness Black women face when it comes to the violence they have to deal with from white supremacy and from Black men.
And gaining what in return??? You didnt steal my strength momentary happiness?? Pa THE TIC https://t.co/kVOK1UWkBi
— Oluwatoyin (@virgingrltoyin) June 6, 2020
Her last tweet was a retweet of something she sent out earlier identifying the man who assaulted her.
Mid 40's lives in a gray painted duplex apartment style house drives a white clean Silverado Chevrolet truck https://t.co/psDCtYva2n
— Oluwatoyin (@virgingrltoyin) June 6, 2020
Salau's death highlighted the peril Black women face from Black men even as they march to protect them from police brutality.
this hurts different. she was so vocal & tweeted about her abuser, she was an activist who was at every protest, she was a baby… literally 19. no one looks out for black women. all of this to say, i’m beyond heartbroken. #JusticeforToyin
pic.twitter.com/eB9DT0yrEZ— miski (@musegold) June 15, 2020
Reading about Oluwatoyin Salau and I am shaking with anger. And fear. She was 19. This is far too often the story for young Black girls and women. And who protects us?
Who protects us?
— Christina Coleman (@ChrissyCole) June 15, 2020
As Black women we fight for the safety & justice of Black men in hopes our safety, value, justice would follow. Unfortunately our day never comes. Black women and girls are not safe anywhere. Oluwatoyin Salau, my heart is breaking for you, for us, for so many reasons. This hurts https://t.co/5LiHuRfEtl
— Annie Apple (@SurvivinAmerica) June 15, 2020
RIP TOYIN
my heart is breaking yet again. black women recieve such horrible treatment & it hurts me to my core. she was only 19 fighting on the front lines for black lives. protect black women! we WILL remember you ???? #JUSTICEFORTOYIN
pic.twitter.com/BGdvRmRcP8— $UCCUBU$$$ (@SuccubusTony) June 15, 2020
This is the filthy ass man that toyin was tweeting about before she was found dead days later … I hope this man receives every single thing that he deserves for taking that babies life and I’m also reading he killed a 75 year old woman as well . pic.twitter.com/wQ0cLjGmSw
— Nai (@CloudNaii) June 15, 2020
Salau's family confirmed her death with the Tallahassee Democrat on Monday. Her body was found only a few miles away from the last place she was seen.
Other protesters touted Salau's work and commitment to the demonstrations. She would often start protests by reciting the names of Black people who were killed by police or white people.
“I don’t want their names gone in vain," Salau said at one rally, according to the Tallahassee Democrat.