Men suspected of killing Sean Taylor denied bail

Three men are suspected of slaying Sean Taylor. They were denied bail on Tuesday and will remain in Miami-Dade County jail.

Photo: Men suspected of killing Sean Taylor denied bail

Charles Wardlow, 18, Jason Mitchell, 19, and Venjah Hunte, 20, all face charges of unpremeditated murder, home invasion with a firearm or another deadly weapon and armed burglary. They will remain in Miami-Dade County jail.

A fourth suspect, Eric Rivera, 17, is being processed at a juvenile detention center in Miami-Dade County, jail officials said. He faces the same charges as the others, and a lawyer said there is a fifth suspect that police are seeking.

Taylor, 24, died on Nov. 27, barely 24 hours after he was shot in the bedroom of his home a few miles (kilometers) from where he grew up. Police say he was a victim of a botched burglary by the suspects.

Probable cause affidavits for Mitchell and Rivera said the two confessed to participating in armed burglary. According to the reports, Mitchell and Rivera admitted entering the home and said someone had a gun and shot Taylor, but they didn't identify who. Police and attorneys also have said some of the young men confessed, though they wouldn't elaborate.

Taylor helped the University of Miami Hurricanes win the 2001 U.S. college football championship, became a first-round NFL draft pick by the Washington Redskins in 2004 and led the NFC in interceptions this season when a knee injury sidelined him last month.

About 3,000 mourners attended Taylor's funeral on Monday seeking closure through prayers, tributes and gospel music. One singer expended so much emotion she collapsed in a chair and was carried away in it as the service continued.

The list of celebrities in attendance was long. They included more than two dozen former Hurricanes players now in the NFL, among them Edgerrin James, Devin Hester and Jeremy Shockey. Former Miami coaches Larry Coker and Butch Davis sat in the front row, along with current coach Randy Shannon.

Mourners also included O.J. Simpson, whose children attended the same high school as Taylor, and actor Andy Garcia, whose niece, Jackie Garcia, was Taylor's girlfriend and the mother of their 18-month-old daughter.

About 300 members of the Redskins organization attended, with even their mascot present. The Redskins flew down in a charter one day after an emotional 17-16 loss to Buffalo, and they play again on Thursday against Chicago.