Former Detectives Will Work To Solve Escambia County Cold Case Homicides
December 16, 2021
Former detectives will work to solve cold cases in Escambia County.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office has launched a “Cold Case Symposium” that will concentrate on cold case homicide investigations while enlisting the expertise of retired certified law enforcement detectives in the area.
“We have a number of retired deputies and law enforcement professionals who have offered their expertise in the past,” said Sheriff Chip Simmons. “We look to take advantage the years of experience these veteran law enforcement professionals bring. Just because someone is retired, doesn’t mean they have lost their experience and intuition. We hope that our current cold case investigators combined with volunteer experienced retirees, we can help close these cases and bring closure to the families.”
The symposium will begin in February of 2022 and will focus on six ECSO cold case homicides at a time. A cold case is one where all available leads have been exhausted and probable cause has not been established to make an arrest.
The ECSO is looking for any retired certified law enforcement investigators interested in joining the symposium that have certified law enforcement experience as a former homicide investigator. Qualified investigators interested in joining the two-day symposium should email Colonel David Ingram at doingram@escambiaso.com.
Reminder: Friday Is An Escambia Schools Early Release Day
December 16, 2021
The Escambia County School District has added Friday, December 17 as an early release day.
It’s also the last day of class before the long Christmas break.
All schools will serve breakfast and lunch to students on the early release day. Regular modes of student transportation will be provided.
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Bond Revoked For Man That Allegedly Man ‘Beat’ Wife, Bit Her Ear, Shot At Her
December 15, 2021
After another arrest in Alabama, bond has been revoked for a Walnut Hill man charged with assaulting his wife, “beating” her, biting her ear and shooting at her as she ran away.
Last August, 49-year old William Scott Taylor Janes was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, aggravated battery and battery domestic violence in Escambia County, Florida.
According to the Florida pretrial release agreement Janes signed, he agreed not to consume alcohol, but an Atmore Police Department report stated he was heavily intoxicated at the time of his recent arrest for assault third degree.
The Atmore Police Department responded to Tatum Avenue in Atmore after MedStar EMS responded to a medical call. They reported that a verbal disturbance broke out between Janes and a relative while the ambulance crew was on scene.
Janes was heavily intoxicated in his car in front of the residence and complaining of chest pains, according to an arrest report. He agreed that he would go to bed and sleep, and police left. About five minutes later, they were called back after the disturbance allegedly escalated.
Atmore officers arrived to find Janes passed out on the porch. He had allegedly attacked his relative and choked her husband.
Janes was transported to Atmore Community Hospital and then booked into the Atmore City Jail. He is now in the Escambia County (Florida) Jail without bond as he awaits trial.
During the August incident in Florida, the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office responded to the Enon community southwest of Walnut Hill where the victim told deputies that her husband assaulted her, bit her ear and shot at her. Janes was taken into custody at the scene, with deputies noting in their report that he appeared to be heavily intoxicated and had blood on his pants.
The victim told deputies that Janes had been drinking heavily for days and became angry because she wanted to go to church without him. He then “beat her” and bit her ear causing a permanent injury, according to an arrest report. She refused to elaborate further on the specifics of “beat her”.
She ran toward a neighbor’s house and heard at least two gunshots as he stated that he was going to kill her, the report continues.
According to the ECSO, Janes stated that he had been drinking, went to sleep, and did not remember anything else.
State Conducts Random Inspection of Escambia County EMS. Here’s What They Found.
December 15, 2021
The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) conducted a random inspection of Escambia County EMS on Monday, reviewing the department on multiple compliance topics.
According to Escambia County, Escambia passed the inspection.
In a FDOH inspection report, the inspector wrote, “Escambia County should be very proud of its very professional and well-organized EMS system.”
“Our success with this inspection was the measure of a group effort from all areas of our organization,” said Escambia County EMS Chief David Torsell III. “I’m proud to see the hard work of our employees rewarded with such an outstanding review from the state.”
During the past six months, Escambia County Public Safety has seen a variety of growth throughout the department, including the addition of Torsell, Public Safety Director Eric Gilmore, EMS Deputy Chief Christopher Stephens, and Escambia County Medical Director Dr. Josh Gordon and Assistant Medical Director Dr. Peter Alexandrov.
“I’m so proud of our EMS team,” Gilmore said. “We have come a long way to build a better service for the citizens of Escambia County. This positive report from FDOH is a direct reflection of the professionalism of our staff and the new standard we’ve set for Escambia County EMS.”
Key areas inspected by FDOH were:
- Employee training records and certifications
- Compliance with controlled substance medication storage, how medications are distributed for use by EMS and tracking of medication administration by EMS
- How EMS orders, stocks, distributes, and replaces medical equipment and supplies
- Random ambulances were selected for complete inventory inspection in compliance with state requirements
- Patient care records and storage of records
- Quality assurance and quality improvement measures with patient care and patient care reports
- Training and in-service records for all EMS employees
- Compliance with state requirements for medical direction, including participation by medical director, Dr. Josh Gordon, and assistant medical director, Dr. Peter Alexandrov.
Beulah Middle FFA Veggie Team Places Fifth, Tool Team Sixth In State
December 15, 2021
Beulah Middle School FFA members recently competed in vegetable identification and tool identification events.
In vegetable identification, Abby Vernier, Colin Shelton, John Zervasky and Yulian Perez placed fifth among 21 other middle schools from across the state. The students will accept their award during the state conference next June.
In tool identification, Miller Richards, Lawson Theison, Gabriel Flores and John Zervasky placed sixth among 22 other middle schools across the state. Out of 83 total students who participated in tool identification, Richards placed first in the state. Richards will attend the state FFA conference in June 2022 to accept an award, and his teammates will be there to cheer him on.
Byrneville Elementary School Names Students Of The Month
December 15, 2021
November Students of the Month have been named at Byrneville Elementary School.
The students are:
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Dedria’s Gift Makes Donation To Century Nursing Home Residents
December 15, 2021
St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church in Century recently donated to Dedria’s Gift. Dedria’s Gift then made a donation to benefit the residents of the Century Center for Rehabilitation and Healing.
Dedria’s Gift honors the memory of Dedria Robinson, who was killed in a 2005 automobile accident at age 11.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Residential Fire Is Seventh Red Bulb On Fire Safety Wreath
December 15, 2021
A seventh red bulb was added Tuesday in the “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign in Escambia County.
Fire destroyed a home in the 700 block of North 77th Avenue Monday night, but there were no injuries.The cause of the fire is being investigated by the Bureau of Fire and Arson.
During the month-long Keep the Wreath Green campaign, five-foot wreaths are on display at county fire stations and other locations. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb is replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in residential homes.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
New Felony Charge Filed Against Woman In Century Child Neglect, Sexual Battery Case
December 14, 2021
A Century woman accused of child neglect and failing to report child abuse is facing a new felony charge.
Tabitha Ann Tedder, 50, was charged with one first degree felony count of tampering in a first degree felony proceeding. Tedder was taken into custody Friday when she went to court for an arraignment hearing, according to the State Attorney’s Office.
Tedder is one of four people arrested in October on child neglect charges for living in squalor with several children. In November, she was arrested again for failure to report child abuse.
According to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, Tabitha Tedder failed to report the sexual battery of a minor child. Investigators believed she had knowledge that sexual abuse was taking place.
Michael Tracy Tedder, 29, was charged with three counts of capital sexual battery of a victim under 12 by a person in familial custody. If convicted as charged, Michael Tedder faces up to life in prison. He remains in the Escambia County Jail.
The victim disclosed at school that she had been raped by Michael Tedder, according to an arrest report. She stated that it hurt, and about the time she healed, he would do it again, the report continues. The alleged abuse occurred between January 1, 2020, and October 20, 2021.
Much of the arrest report is redacted under Florida law, but it states “several (others) divulged sexual abuse by Michael Tedder. The incidents they described were similar to the sexual abuse disclosed, adding credibility to her statement.”
For more information on the charges against Michael Tedder, click or tap here for an earlier story.
When the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office went to Michael Tedder’s home on October 20 to investigate the sexual battery allegations, deputies found Tedder and three others living in squalor with six children in two campers.
They found Michael Tedder and his wife 28-year old Elizabeth Mae Dennis, along with 55-year old Norman Tracy Tedder and his wife Tabitha Tedder. All four were charged with felony child neglect. Only Michael Tedder is accused of a sex crime; the other three have not been charged with any sex crime or named as suspects.
The Department of Children and Families removed the children and transported them to the Gulf Coast Kids House.
For more information on the child neglect allegations, click or tap here for an earlier story.
Foundation Pays Off Mortgage Of Fallen Escambia Fire Chief Dwain Bradshaw
December 14, 2021
A New York nonprofit has paid the mortgage of a fallen Escambia County firefighter.
As part of their third annual “Season of Hope”, the Tunnel to Towers Foundation paid off the mortgage of Escambia Fire Rescue District Chief Dwain Bradshaw.
Bradshaw, 41, lost his life when he was hit by a vehicle during the early morning hours of November 6, 2019, on scene of a fatal crash on the Muscogee Bridge. He was a volunteer district chief at the Bellview Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, volunteer assistant district chief for the Beulah Station of Escambia Fire Rescue, and lived a life of public service.
Bradshaw was also a Department of Defense firefighter at Naval Air Station Pensacola, an U.S. Army veteran, a member of the Mississippi Air National Guard and a former police officer in Bay Minette.
The Tunnel to Towers Foundation is dedicated to honoring the sacrifice of FDNY Firefighter Stephen Siller, who laid down his life to save others on September 11, 2001. For 20 years the Foundation has supported our nation’s first responders, veterans, and their families by providing these heroes and the families they leave behind with mortgage-free homes