Sandy MaloneMerritt Island, FL – Police arrested one of the suspects who dressed up like members of law enforcement and killed a man inside his Merritt Island residence during a home invasion in March.
Deputies responded to a 911 call about an attempted robbery and home invasion off of East Hall Road near Hebron Drive on March 3, Florida Today reported.
They found 25-year-old Matthew Nicol dead at the scene.
Nicol’s roommate had called 911 after he heard glass breaking and gunshot, Florida Today reported.
Deputies said that 23-year-old David Foreman-Taylor was one of a group of people who dressed up as law enforcement officers in tactical pants and shirts, rifles, and replica sheriff’s department and Drug Enforcement Agency badges and patches to commit the home invasion, WESH reported.
The group went to Nicol’s home looking for drugs and money from drug sales, according to deputies.
Officials said that part of the attempted robbery was captured on the home’s surveillance cameras.
Members of the group first encountered Nicol’s dog and shot him, WESH reported.
When Nicol went to confront them, they fatally shot him too and then fled the property.
Deputies said that other residents of the home and their friends removed evidence of drug activity from the scene before they called authorities after the shootings, WESH reported.
When they finally called police, they described the gunmen as having worn all black and masks and said they were traveling in a white work van.
Law enforcement officers tracked down a U-Haul van the suspects had used to commit their crime, WESH reported.
It had already been returned to the rental facility but deputies were able to use information from that rental to track down Foreman-Taylor.
It wasn’t known if there was a connection between Foreman-Taylor and Nicol.
Foreman-Taylor was arrested at about 2:40 a.m. on May 5 and charged with first-degree murder, armed burglary of a dwelling, and cruelty to animals, Florida Today reported.
MURDER ARREST: per BCSO 23 yr old David Foreman-Taylor part of group which dressed in replica police tactical gear, stormed Hall Rd home 3/3/21. Killed dog, then 25 yr old Matthew Nicol. U-haul later found with evidence inside. More arrests expected. @MyNews13 #News13Brevard pic.twitter.com/o0rrfUJe4c
— Greg Pallone (@gpallone13) May 6, 2021
He was held without bond at the Brevard County Jail.
Deputies said they would be making more arrests in connection with the case in the near future, WESH reported.
Holly Matkin
