Tyree Gland is accused of twice running over his brother, Taiwan Gland Sr., with a car in St. Petersburg, Florida. The suspect had just gotten out of prison. (St. Petersburg Police Department)
A Florida man who was just released from prison in December ran over his brother with a car two different times, according to police.
The St. Petersburg Police Department is searching for 34-year-old Tyree Gland in the death of his brother, Taiwan Gland Sr. Cops say Tyree Gland mowed down 35-year-old Taiwan Gland Sr. with his car, running him over twice early Monday morning on Seventh Avenue South, near 12th Street South. The family had just been memorializing Taiwan Gland Sr.’s son of the same name who was murdered earlier this month.
Cops say Tyree Gland was last seen driving a dark blue 2018 Cadillac ATS, with tag AT21AH. They have not divulged a motive for why he would kill his brother. The mother of the Gland brothers is urging her son to turn himself in.
“He killed his brother who didn’t deserve this in anyway possible,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “I’m looking for my son Tyree I love you always but as a mother I got to get you help and put you away before you hurt another person.”
Tyree Gland was released from prison on Dec. 5 after serving 15 years for a 2007 homicide. The Tampa Bay Times reports he opened fire during a drive-by shooting in St. Petersburg, hitting and killing a 15-year-old boy who was not the intended target. A jury twice convicted Tyree Gland of murder, which included a lifelong prison sentence, but the convictions were overturned both times. The first conviction was overturned when it was discovered a witness fabricated evidence in another case, while the second was reversed after an appeals court determined the jury received erroneous instructions, the Times reported.
Tyree Gland also had a rather intimidating tattoo referencing a detective investigating the case that said “WANTED Det. Gibson $100,000.” Authorities believed it was a bounty put on the detective’s head. A third jury in 2017 convicted Tyree Gland of the manslaughter charge and he received the 15-year prison sentence with credit for the seven years he already served. During one of the trials, Taiwan Gland Sr. was accused of witness intimidation, according to the Times.
On Wednesday police arrested 32-year-old Sebastian Williams for accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Williams was a passenger in the vehicle that struck Taiwan Gland Sr., cops said.
St. Pete cops say Taiwan Gland Jr., 18, was shot to death just before midnight on Feb. 22. Police received a call for shots fired in the area of Citrus Groves Apartments, 731 15th Street South. About 90 minutes later someone dropped off Gland Jr. at a hospital where he later died. Cops say he was injured in the apartment complex’s parking lot. No arrests have been made.
Taiwan Gland Sr. mourned his son in a series of Facebook posts.
“I never felt this much pain,” he wrote.
Anyone with information on Tyree Gland’s whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers 1-800-873-TIPS.
