A Cape Coral man has been charged with second degree murder in the death of his father, who was found beaten to death in his Southwest 49th Lane home on July 18.

Cape Coral Police arrested Leroy James Taylor Jr., 54, Wednesday in the death of Leroy James Taylor Sr., 91. He was arrested in the Cape in the home they had shared at 505 SW 49th Lane without incident, according to police.

Taylor Sr. died as from blunt force trauma to the head and chest, according to an autopsy performed by the Lee County Medical Examiner’s Office, police said in a prepared statement release late Wednesday.

The investigation began after a person doing a wellness check on Taylor Sr. told police they had discovered his body lying on the floor of the home.

Cape Coral Police detectives learned that Taylor’s son, Leroy Taylor Jr. had flown to New York out of Southwest Florida International Airport on July 18 on an 8 a.m. flight.

Dectives flew to New York to speak with him where they were assisted by New York State Police Investigators.

Evidence collected at the crime scene in Cape Coral as well as evidence collected in New York was processed. The results of the analysis provided probable cause to arrest Leroy James Taylor Jr. on charges of second degree murder, officials said in the statement.

“This case was challenging from the start,” said Lt. Tony Sizemore, police spokesperson. “Our Detectives and Forensics Personnel began putting the case together piece by piece taking them from Cape Coral to New York and back again. In the end, we made an arrest and again proved why our Detectives and Forensics Personnel are some of the best in the business.

“We now put the case in the capable hands of our partners, the Prosecutors at the State Attorney’s Office”.

Source: Cape Coral Police Department