True Story! Man kills his girlfriend and 5 week old baby…

ST. PETERSBURG – The man police suspect killed his girlfriend and 5-week-old son was on a suicide watch Sunday at the Pinellas County Jail.

Craig Wall Sr., 34, was transported to Pinellas County after a judge in Sumter County, where he was arrested last week, denied him bail Sunday morning.

Wall was booked around noon on a charge of first-degree murder after police said he stabbed Laura Taft, 29, to death early Wednesday at her Clearwater apartment.

He was placed on watch in a single-person cell at the jail’s health care facility, said Pinellas sheriff’s spokeswoman Marianne Pasha. Those deemed at risk for suicide must wear a paper sheet for clothing and are monitored constantly.

A booking report states he has a knife wound, an old scar unrelated to the last week’s events, Pasha said, though a week-old report does not declare the wound.

Wall’s baby, Craig Jr., was in his care on Feb. 5, a day before the child died. Clearwater police, who are investigating the baby’s death, said last week they are awaiting a final report from the medical examiner’s office.

Wall has not been charged in that case, though a police report calls him a suspect.

Wall was last in the jail a week ago on a charge he violated a domestic violence injunction sought by his girlfriend by attempting to attend a memorial service for the baby in Largo.

At a hearing to decide on bail for that offense, he was let go after paying $1,000.

Neither the arrest report for the violation that noted he was suspected in his baby’s death, nor the 14 years he spent in prison for armed robbery charges, were brought up in that hearing.

Within 33 hours of his release, Taft was dead. Clearwater police said Wall kicked through a door and stabbed her several times.

Hours later, Sumter County deputies found Wall passed out in his car near Interstate 75. He was taken to Citrus Memorial Hospital and then to the Sumter jail. On Sunday, he was sent to Pinellas, where he will face the murder charge.

The state attorney for Pinellas and Pasco counties, Bernie McCabe, said late last week he was “dumbfounded” by the way his office had mishandled the domestic violence hearing that led to Wall’s release.

His chief assistant met Friday with prosecutors who handle such cases to review the procedures they should follow.

Drew Harwell can be reached at dharwell@sptimes.com or (727) 445-4170.

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Pressley McCray Kidnapped, Tortured and Raped His Girlfriend for a Week

Police still don’t know why he did it, but 30-year-old Pressley Antonio McCray decided to go off on his girlfriend with a week of non-stop torture. According to detectives in Camden, South Carolina, McCray kidnapped the woman and tied her up with an electrical cord in his home…

Over the next six days, her raped her with a broom stick and a lead pipe. He assaulted her with a butcher’s knife and poured hot water on her — all while his own toddler was in the home.

The woman managed to escape once, but McCray caught her and beat her again. It wasn’t until day 6 that she finally managed to flee for good while he slept. She drove his truck to a convenience store and called 911.

Police say the 22-year-old woman suffered injuries from head-to-toe. She’s recovering in a hospital, but is apparently going through severe trauma.

McCray, meanwhile, was charged with assault and battery with intent to kill, kidnapping and various drug charges. Detectives say they also plan to light him up with additional charges.

Body of Woman Found in Boyfriend’s Backseat

Louisiana man gets fat lip for refusing to have sex with girlfriend

DECEMBER 10–Meet Brittany Phillips. Early Saturday morning, the 19-year-old Louisiana woman wanted some sex from her boyfriend. But Todd Stewart, 35, was apparently not in the mood. In fact, he tried to push Phillips off of him in the bedroom of the pair’s West Monroe home. That much the couple can agree upon, according to Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office reports. Phillips claims Stewart became violent after rebuffing her advances. Stewart told an investigator that he left the bedroom to sleep on a living room couch, but that Phillips “would not leave him alone.” At some point, he added, things got physical and he was stabbed in the lower lip with “a long metal object which appeared to be a knife.” For her part, the frisky Phillips acknowledged to Deputy Shane Smith that she struck Stewart, but said it was done “to protect herself.” Phillips, pictured in the below mug shot, was charged with aggravated battery, while a bloody Stewart, seen here, was charged with simple battery. Phillips was also booked on a pair of outstanding warrants, for simple battery and damage to property.

Louisiana man gets fat lip for refusing to have sex with girlfriend

DECEMBER 10–Meet Brittany Phillips. Early Saturday morning, the 19-year-old Louisiana woman wanted some sex from her boyfriend. But Todd Stewart, 35, was apparently not in the mood. In fact, he tried to push Phillips off of him in the bedroom of the pair’s West Monroe home. That much the couple can agree upon, according to Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office reports. Phillips claims Stewart became violent after rebuffing her advances. Stewart told an investigator that he left the bedroom to sleep on a living room couch, but that Phillips “would not leave him alone.” At some point, he added, things got physical and he was stabbed in the lower lip with “a long metal object which appeared to be a knife.” For her part, the frisky Phillips acknowledged to Deputy Shane Smith that she struck Stewart, but said it was done “to protect herself.” Phillips, pictured in the below mug shot, was charged with aggravated battery, while a bloody Stewart, seen here, was charged with simple battery. Phillips was also booked on a pair of outstanding warrants, for simple battery and damage to property.