The parents of the 24-year-old man accused with a string of killings in the same Tampa neighborhood are leaning on their faith to help them get through the news of their son’s alleged actions.
During a brief press conference on Friday, Rosita Donaldson and Emanuel Donaldson, Jr. said that the accusations of their son, Howard Donaldson III, also known as Trai, are uncharacteristic for the man who grew up in good home heavily influenced by church and God, ABC News reported.
“Everybody’s in disbelief. Anybody that knows Trai knows that’s not Trai,” his mother said. “That’s not my son.”
Police arrested Howard Donaldson last week at an Ybor City McDonald’s after his manager, Delonda Walker, alerted them to a food bag he gave her that contained a firearm that matched the weapon used in all four killings. Howard Donaldson had told Walker that he planned to leave the state.
An emotional Kenny Hoffa embraced Major Rocky Ratliff after press briefing on update in #SeminoleHeights murder arrest. His daughter Monica was one of four victims slain in the neighborhood. pic.twitter.com/FVnIPqdKox
— TampaPD (@TampaPD) November 29, 2017
"We met for 51 days working to solve these tragic murders…finally today we're able to say it's Day 1 in the healing process for the families and community." ~Chief Brian Dugan pic.twitter.com/t7bW6RnfBS
— TampaPD (@TampaPD) November 29, 2017
The couple said they are “heartbroken” for their family as well the families of the four victims who were killed between Oct. 9 and Nov. 14 in the Seminole Heights neighborhood. They asked the community to “pray [for] strength” for all of the failies involved.
“I prayed for those families when it first started,” she said as tears welled up in her eyes. “And then when they arrested my son, devastation, because I love my son, and it was disbelief that this was happening to our family. And we question why.”
While Howard Donaldson’s arrest has been “difficult for everyone,” his father said that the family will rely on their faith to “get through this ordeal.”
“It’s your ability to pray for people you don’t even know,” he said.
Howard Donaldson is being held without bond at a Hillsborough County jail and will appear in court Tuesday.
Rosita Donaldson reminded her son that the family supports him.
“We just wanna say that we love our son,” she said. “We support our son.”
“And to the families of the victims, our heart is broken for them, and we’re praying for them,” Rosita Donaldson said.
(H/T: ABC News)