Tarence Mitchell, High School Football Star, Stabs Older Gay Lover To Death
The 18-year-old captain of Connecticut's Bloomfield High School football team has been charged with murder following the stabbing death of a 27-year-old man with whom he says he had been engaging in a sexual relationship.
Tarence Mitchell appeared in court on Friday, with his lawyer describing him as extremely upset and confused, local station WVIT-TV reports. The Bloomfield, Conn., high school student was charged in the killing of Ronald Taylor Thursday night in the front yard of Taylor's home.
Police arrived at the home at 9:13 p.m. Thursday night after receiving reports that two men were fighting. At the scene, they discovered two men with stab wounds. Taylor was taken by ambulance to Saint Francis Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Mitchell informed officers that he and Taylor had been in a sexual relationship but that he had attempted to end it. He also said that three weeks ago, Taylor posted a photo of Mitchell on Facebook, captioning the image as "Bloomfield gay football player." Mitchell said Taylor eventually took the image down but threatened to post it again if Mitchell attempted to distance himself from him again, according to court documents.
Mitchell said Taylor would get jealous when he texted girls and had previously threatened him with a sword. Mitchell told investigators that Taylor texted him on Thursday to say he was coming to his home and it "wasn't going to end well." Mitchell told police that he stabbed Taylor with a knife after Taylor punched him in the face. Officials say Taylor attempted to run away, but Mitchell pursued him and stabbed him again, including one time in the back.
Mitchell, who has no arrest history, is being held on a $1 million bond.
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