On May 4, 2024, a tragic incident occurred in the Black Diamond residential development in Wellington, Florida, resulting in the deaths of Taylor Glenn Jones and his wife, Tara Marie Jones. The shooting took place in the 10500 block of Galleria Street just before 5:30 p.m.
The dispute that led to the shooting was over a basketball hoop and property boundaries. Norman Scott, a 63-year-old neighbor, confessed to killing the couple.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Scott had been arguing with the Joneses about the basketball hoop. Despite claiming that the victims attacked him, surveillance footage from Scott's home showed that Taylor Jones approached Scott in a nonthreatening manner during their conversation.
The video footage revealed that Scott, clearly upset and yelling, retrieved a handgun and began shooting Taylor Jones, who backed away with his hands raised. Scott continued to shoot Taylor Jones even after he fell to the ground. Scott then turned the handgun on Tara Jones, shooting her while she was on her property. After shooting her, Scott returned to Taylor Jones, who was lying on the ground, and shot him two additional times.
When deputies arrived, they found the bodies of both victims in the front yard of their home. A witness reported hearing gunshots and seeing Scott walking outside his home, where he admitted to the shooting, saying, "Don't worry, I shot them both." Scott also called 911 to report the incident, reiterating that he shot the victims because they attacked him.
The forensic investigation determined that Tara Jones was shot three times (once in both legs and once in the upper chest), and Taylor Jones was shot three times (once in the left eye, once in the back, and once in the upper right leg). The weapon used in the shooting was found inside Scott's home on a table.
Norman Scott was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder with a firearm. He appeared before a Palm Beach County judge and is being held at the main Palm Beach County jail without bond. Scott's attorney described him as a "good man" with no history of trouble with the law, who attended church and worked full-time as a mechanic.
Taylor and Tara Jones left behind four school-aged children, ranging in age from 13 to 7 years old. The community has come together to support the children, including setting up a GoFundMe page to help them. Friends and family remembered the couple as devoted parents who were deeply committed to their family and children.
