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A Black Lives Matter Activist Was Found Dead Days After Reporting A Sexual Assault, But Police Say The Two Aren't Linked
Oluwatoyin Salau, 19, was found dead along with Victoria Sims, 75, who she'd befriended at a Black Lives Matter demonstration.
The man accused of killing a 19-year-old Black Lives Matter activist is not the same person she described as sexually assaulting her the day of her disappearance, authorities say.
Police have released new details in the deaths of Oluwatoyin Salau and Victoria Sims, 75, who were both confirmed dead on Monday. A week earlier, on June 6, Salau tweeted about a man she alleged had sexually assaulted her earlier that morning, according to the Tallahassee Democrat. She disappeared the same day and was found dead at the home of 49-year-old Aaron Glee Jr., who has been accused in Salau and Sims' deaths, the Tallahassee Police Department said in a statement.
Authorities say the assault and the alleged double homicide are not linked.
"At this time, there is no indication that the original battery Salau reported is related to her death. The information and description Salau provided to police and posted on social media prior to her disappearance does not match the person ultimately found to be responsible for her murder," Tallahassee police said.
Although the relationship between Salau and Sims was initially unclear, authorities said the pair had become friends at a recent Black Lives Matter protest.
"Each woman was passionate about improving the lives of others," the department said in its release. "With Salau protesting for justice and policy change with Movement 850 and Sims serving the elderly with AARP, the Tallahassee Police Department is committed to upholding the legacies of their service."
Tallahassee police also confirmed that Salau had reported a potential sexual battery on June 6, and are asking for information in that case. While investigating the initial report, Salau's family reported her missing and police launched a week-long search that later encompassed Sims' disappearance. Evidence recovered at Sims' home implicated Glee, police said.
Both women were found dead at Glee's home, who had fled to Orlando prior to officers arriving at the scene, authorities said. He was arrested there and has been charged with murder and kidnapping.
Salau could often be seen at local protests reading the names of Black people killed by police, including George Floyd and Tony McDade.
It was not immediately clear if Glee had an attorney able to comment on his behalf. He has not yet entered a plea.