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Toddler survives armed drug dispute in Polk County

Staff photo by KATHY MOORE

Polk County deputies say two people were slain and a third tortured at 619 Dunlin Lane in Poinciana.

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By NEIL JOHNSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 4, 2009

Updated: 10/04/2009 10:04 pm

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Wilkins Merilan

POINCIANA - Armed intruders forced their way into a suburban Polk County home shortly after midnight, killed two people and then shot and tortured a third person.

"The two victims were executed," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said at a press conference today.

Tonight, the Polk County Sheriff's Office identified the victims as Tamiqa Taylor, 26, of Port St. Lucie, and Dustin Freeman, 23, of Hutchinson, Kan.

Somehow, a 3-year-old girl survived. Deputies found her covered in blood under Taylor's body. Initially, the deputies thought the toddler was dead, but they heard her snoring while they were collecting evidence.

Here's what happened, according to the sheriff's office:

Five or six men forced their way into a house at 619 Dunlin Lane, looking for the toddler's father, 29-year-old Wilkins Merilan, who lives there. The men told Merilan, "If you're going to sell drugs, you're going to sell our drugs," and asked him where their $5,000 was.

The intruders then shot Merilan twice and tortured him. Merilan hid in a closet for several hours before calling 911, shortly after 6 a.m. He was taken to Tampa General Hospital in serious condition, according to the sheriff's office.

When Chad Merilan spoke to his younger brother this morning, all he said was that he had been robbed.

"They say he is OK. He's responsive," Merilan said.

Saturday night, Merilan said he stopped by his brother's house and spent some time watching TV with his brother and his brother's friends. He said that Taylor was his brother's girlfriend.

"Everybody is shocked," said Merilan.

Many questions remain in the slayings, which happened in a quiet, suburban neighborhood in the unincorporated community of Poinciana, which borders Osceola County. Chief among those: Why did the killers, who apparently came for Merilan, instead kill Taylor and Freeman?

Detectives got some answers from the toddler, who confirmed details they learned in their investigation. Her mother was not at the house during the shooting and does not live there, according to the sheriff's office.

Judd asked anyone with information about the shootings to call the Polk County Sheriff's Office or to leave an anonymous tip at 1-800-226-TIPS.

Staff photographer Kathy Moore contributed to this story.

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