The parents of accused serial killer Howell “Trai” Donaldson spoke out Friday afternoon, three days after their son was arrested on four counts of first-degree murder.
- Rosita and Howell Donaldson Jr. spoke from attorney's office
- Mother: "We love him. We support him."
- Father: "We're people of faith and we're going to lean on our faith."
The 24-year-old’s parents, Rosita and Howell Donaldson Jr., spoke from their attorney’s South Tampa office Friday afternoon. His mother Rosita said she had been praying for the families of those four victims as the search for the killer progressed, not knowing her son would be accused of their murders.
"I prayed for those families when it first started, 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. Why?” she said.
That’s an answer police say they didn’t get from the suspect on Tuesday when he was arrested. But investigators said he did admit to owning the gun that has now been identified as the murder weapon.
His parents said the horrible details of the crimes don’t sound like anything the son they know would be responsible for.
"Everybody is in disbelief,” Rosita said. “Anybody that knows Trai knows that’s not Trai. He doesn’t have the personality of that characteristic that they’re giving him. That’s not my son. That’s my baby. That’s not my son.”
When asked if they saw that surveillance video of the suspect wearing a hoodie that was played over and over on television, Rosita began to shake her head before being interrupted by their attorney.
“We’re not going talk about any of the facts to the prosecution or the defense of the case,” said attorney Ralph E. Fernandez.
Howell Jr. said he’s as devastated as any father would be, but he says they’re relying on their faith to make it through this.
“We’re people of faith and we’re going to lean on our faith as we go through this ordeal, and we’re gonna allow God to be God,” he said.
The couple said they haven’t seen their son since he was arrested on Tuesday, but they want him to know they’re standing with him.
“We love him. We support him. We believe in him and we’re here for him,” Rosita said.