Tara Marie Jones, age 41, and her husband Taylor Glenn Jones, age 43, were tragically killed on May 4, 2024, in the Village of Wellington, Florida. The incident was the result of a dispute over the location of a basketball hoop and a property line issue with their neighbor, Norman Scott.
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the conflict escalated when Taylor Jones was seen picking up trash in his yard and moving a children’s bicycle to the front of his home.
Norman Scott then motioned for Taylor Jones to come over, and the two men began talking. Surveillance footage showed Scott clearly upset and yelling at Jones, while Jones's gestures were described as non-threatening and directed towards the basketball hoop.
The situation quickly turned violent when Scott pulled a firearm and fired three or four shots at Taylor Jones as he was retreating. Scott then turned the gun on Tara Jones, who was still on her property and about 20 to 30 feet away. Despite her attempts to retreat, Scott advanced and shot her. After shooting both victims, Scott returned to his home and fired two more shots at Taylor Jones as he walked by. The entire encounter lasted less than a minute.
A witness reported hearing the gunshots and finding the victims covered in blood. When the witness approached Scott, he admitted to the shootings, claiming the victims had attacked him first, although surveillance footage contradicted this assertion, showing no aggressive behavior from the Joneses.
Norman Scott, 63, was arrested and booked early Sunday morning on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder with a firearm. He was held without bond and entered a plea of not guilty through his attorney. Scott is due back in court on June 3.
Tara and Taylor Jones left behind four children and a community that remembered them fondly. Friends and family have expressed deep sorrow over their sudden and tragic deaths, remembering Taylor as an "awesome dad" and both as a loving couple who built a life together.
