Tahj Brewton. (Mugshot: Marion County Sheriff’s Office)
Deputies announced on Sunday that federal law enforcement arrested the third teenage suspect charged in three teen’s violent deaths. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office previously said that Tahj Brewton, 16, remained at large after Layla Silvernail, 16, Camille Quarles, 16, and a 17-year-old boy were each separately found shot.
Deputies now say that U.S. Marshals took him into custody on Saturday just south of Groveland, Florida, with the help of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. They did not specify a murder charge against him.
“Brewton was arrested on his outstanding warrants for carjacking with a firearm, aggravated assault, grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing or attempt to elude a law enforcement officer, and tampering with an electronic monitoring device,” they announced. “At this time, the homicide investigation is ongoing and additional charges are forthcoming.”
The sheriff’s office said on Friday that they arrested Robert Robinson, 17, and Christopher Atkins, 12, for the deaths. These two teenagers were charged with first-degree murder. Asked by a reporter if the juveniles would be charged as adults, Sheriff Billy Woods said the State Attorney’s Office was currently reviewing that. During the presser, he emphasized that Florida law empowered him to name each of the minor suspects and release their photos in advance of any decision about charging them as adults.
The name of the 17-year-old victim was not released under Marsy’s Law.
Robert Robinson, 17, Christopher Atkins, 12, and Tahj Brewton were named as murder suspects in the deaths of three teens.
As Law&Crime previously reported, deputies were searching for more information about Silvernail’s vehicle as seen on the night of March 30th and on the afternoon of April 1, when the vehicle was located. Authorities said Silvernail was found on the side of the road shot to death March 30. The next day, deputies found the murdered 17-year-old boy, according to the sheriff’s office. When Silvernail’s vehicle was found “partially submerged at the edge of a nearby body of water” on April 1, investigators found Quarles shot to death in the trunk.
Matt Naham contributed to this report.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
