Deputies are searching for a Tampa man accused of killing his girlfriend as she held their 18-month-old daughter in her arms.
Cedrick Bontray Salter, 28, is wanted for armed burglary and first-degree murder. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office says that all day Tuesday, Salter tried to reach the mother of his 18-month-old twins. When he was unsuccessful, he broke into the laundry room of her home at 5709 30th Ave. E. at 9:15 p.m., confronted her in the bedroom then shot her in the upper body, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.
SaQuanda Simon died at the house. She was 29.
The toddler was not injured, Carter said. Simon's two other daughters, ages 10 and 7, as well as other family members were at the home at the time of the shooting. No one else was injured.
Salter fled the scene.
Deputies say Salter was charged in March with battery and false imprisonment involving Simon. That case is pending, and a disposition had been slated for Thursday. Salter had pleaded not guilty to those charges.
In 2004, Salter was convicted of obstruction or opposing an officer without violence, and adjudication was withheld on a charge of possession of cocaine with intent to sell or deliver, court records show. In 2006, he was convicted of having a controlled substance without a prescription.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to call the sheriff's office at (813) 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-8477.
UPDATE
Woman shot dead while holding her baby had filed injunction six months prior
September 9, 8:29 PMTampa Crime ExaminerCharisse Van Horn
SaQuanda Tamika Simon, 31, was shot dead while holding her 18 month old baby, late Tuesday night. According to reports, SaQuanda was killed by her boyfriend, the father of her baby, whom she had recently sought a restraining order against. Cedrick Bontray Salter is wanted on charges of first degree murder and armed burglary. Simon had filed a restraining order against Salter in March, however, after she failed to show up in court, the order was dismissed. On March 11, 2009, Salter was arrested on a number of charges related to domestic violence. These include false imprisonment, aggravated stalking, battery (domestic violence), grand theft third degree and criminal mischief. Salter was out on bail regarding those charges when the murder took place last night.
The incident last night transpired in SaQuanda’s mother home while family members were present and witnessed the attack. According to SaQuanda’s great uncle, Morris Coleman, 69, SaQuanda was in the home when Cedrick Bontray Salter burst in and fired two shots at SaQuanda, killing her. SaQuanda and Cedrick had dated for at least 7 years and he was the father of her twin children.
According to reports, SaQuanda had ended her relationship with Cedrick Salter on Marcy 1, 2009 due to his relationships with other women. On March 2, 2009, Salter had showed up at SaQuanda Simon’s place of employment and had threatened kill her in statements made to her coworkers. The report states that he told her coworkers that if she didn’t drop charges against him he would kill her. The incident escalated later that evening.
At approximately 7:45 p.m. on March 2, 2009, SaQuanda heard gunshots outside her residence. The report states that Salter then yelled, “I know you heard me shooting and knocking on your window.” The report states that Salter became outraged when SaQuanda Simon refused to answer his phone calls and text messages. Salter continued to harass her. When Simon had her phone number changed, the violence escalated.
The report also documents comments that Salter had made to Simon during the March 2, 2009 incident. Salter took SaQuanda’s cell phone and headed towards his car. She followed him trying to retrieve the phone. They struggled and during the struggle, SaQuanda fell into the car. She tried to open the passenger door, but it wouldn’t open. She yelled for her cousin to call the police. At that point, according to an injunction report the dialogue between Salter and Simon was as follows,
“I'ma show you what happened to the red chick when she called the police on me and now she don't talk to me no more.
"I said, 'What do you mean?'
"He said, 'I'ma take you to Lakeland and kill you. I'ma stab you in the neck with this screw driver.”
SaQuanda stated that Salter had a screwdriver while they continued to struggle for the phone. During this time, Salter was driving and SaQuanda was pulling at the wheel. Salter told her that if she didn’t stop pulling at the wheel he would drive the car off the road and kill them both. She continued to pull at the wheel and he exited on I-4 onto McIntosh Road. He stopped at a light and she kicked at the door and jumped out of the car.
SaQuanda had twin children, a boy and girl born on 1/24/08. In her report she stated that Salter was to have visitation with the children at her mother’s house but not to leave with the children under any circumstance. Additionally, she had stated that the babies had not witnessed any acts of violence. The injuction was filed on March 2, 2009, since SaQuanda Simon failed to make it to the hearing, her bid for the injuction was denied on March 16, 2009, within 6 months, SaQuanda was dead.
Statistics show that abusers who threaten their partners with guns are more likely to kill them. If you are in a domestic abuse situation contact the Spring of Tampa Bay. When violence escalates to the point of the threat of murder, it is imperative to find a safe place. Sometimes, the most important step that someone can take in getting away from their abuser is to leave and go to an undisclosed location.
The Spring of Tampa Bay offers a 24 hour crisis hotline: 813-247-SAFE (7233)
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