ANTIOCH, Tenn. — A 16-year-old who was injured in a stabbing at her Tennessee home helped lead police to the man accused of killing her mother and younger brother.
The Metro Nashville Police Department said 37-year-old Jermaine Agee broke into the home of his estranged girlfriend, 38-year-old Mayra Garcia, early Monday morning. He's accused of stabbing Garcia, her 16-year-old daughter, Alexis Taylor, and her 13-year-old son, Jayden Taylor. Garcia and Jayden died from their injuries.
According to police documents, all three suffered multiple stab wounds.
Taylor, who was critically injured, was able to identify Agee as the suspect and told officers he took her mother’s cellphone. Police said she also helped ping her mother’s phone, which helped locate Agee.
After his arrest, Agee refused to be interviewed by detectives and was booked on charges of murder and attempted murder.
Metro police spokesperson Don Aaron called the incident a “despicable act of domestic violence.” At the time of the killings, Agee was wanted for domestic assault.
According to an affidavit, police learned of the assault allegations October 1 when staff at Henry Maxwell Elementary School called to report Garcia and Agee arguing in the school's office. They said Garcia had visible bruises to her face and hands but would not say how it happened.
Police said Agee was in the office and was giving Garcia "nonverbal signals not to tell anyone what happened." After the argument, he left before police arrived at the school. Garcia later told officers that Agee had assaulted her the night before when he accused her of cheating on him.
Investigators said Garcia told them she was afraid to call police because she thought he would assault her again and feared what "he might do to her."
This story was originally published by Laken Bowles on WTVF.
