Suspects Detained for Questioning in Taylor Shooting

Two of Taylor's closest friends on the Redskins, Santana Moss and Clinton Portis, on Thursday gave credence to Rolle's comments because Taylor had known him since age 6.

"Antrel Rolle and Sean grew up pretty close together," Moss said. "If he knows something that we don't know, then all you can do is respect what he said. I don't know how true it is, but he might know something that we don't know."

Law enforcement observers said Thursday that the Taylor case was one of the most buttoned-down investigations they had ever encountered in the city and the lack of information has failed to bring clarity to the probe. Until Friday, the police work has produced no suspects and no witness description.

There has also been much confusion over several details. Initial reports said the phone line to the house had been cut, forcing Taylor's girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, to call 911 on her cellphone. Miami-Dade police later said they found no evidence the line had been cut.

A cousin said Taylor had no security system at the home. Taylor's attorney, Richard Sharpstein, and others said he had a security system but it was disarmed on the night of the shooting. Taylor's father, the chief of police in nearby Florida City, said he simply didn't know. The police refused to comment, but the question of why a multimillionaire, high-profile athlete did not take greater security measures remained unanswered.

Taylor's friends and family said they believe the house, not Taylor, was the target of the attack for several reasons: Few people knew he had flown into town Saturday night, but many could have known about the safe in his bedroom after the earlier break-in.

They also said Taylor would never have allowed his girlfriend and their 18-month-old daughter to sleep in the house with him if he thought enemies were trying to hunt him down.

Moreover, Sharpstein said that the intruder or intruders made too much noise inside the house to have been trying to stalk Taylor. He said he based his comments on a conversation with Garcia, who along with Taylor and their daughter was the only one home at the time. "They made tons of noise out in the living room," Sharpstein said. "It's certainly not a hit."

"He definitely wasn't targeted," Hill said. "He was supposed to be with the Redskins. . . . Nobody knew he was home. His dad didn't even know he was home."

But even the explanations come with questions. Why would thieves return to a safe they had already gone through, as the Nov. 18 police report on the first break-in indicates? If Taylor was not concerned about his safety, why did he lower the hurricane shutters on his windows after the first break-in, as his attorney and a cousin have said?

Taylor had been excused from attending the Redskins' game in Tampa on Sunday because of a knee injury, and he elected to make a brief trip to Miami instead of remaining in the Washington region. Hill said Taylor picked up his girlfriend and their baby from her parents' house, where the two stay when Taylor is not in town, and spent Sunday with them.

Sharpstein said the intruder or intruders kicked in the bedroom door Monday morning and fired twice, striking Taylor -- who had grabbed a machete from under the bed -- in the femoral artery while Garcia cowered on the bed with their daughter.

Taylor's funeral is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at a 5,000-seat arena on the campus of Florida International University.It will be open to the public, and the entire Redskins organization and players from other NFL teams are expected to attend.