Brevard Grand Jury Indicts 16-Year-Old Jaylin Christian for First Degree Premeditated Murder in Grandmother’s Slaying

indictment charges Christian as an adult

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – A Brevard County Grand Jury indicted Jaylin Christian, 16, for First Degree Premeditated Murder in connection with the death of his grandmother, 57-year-old Muriel Emerson.

According to 18th Judicial Circuit spokesman Todd Brown, on September 7, the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office began investigating a text to 9-11 identified as having been placed in the area of 600 Clearlake Road, Cocoa.

Deputies located Christian at that location, and he told them he had stabbed his grandmother in their home located on South Carolina Avenue in Rockledge.

Rockledge police responded to the residence and discovered Emerson deceased inside, later charging Christian with the murder. The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide due to multiple sharp force injuries.

A detention hearing was held on September 9, and Christian was ordered into secure juvenile custody by Judge Christina Serrano.

The indictment charges Christian as an adult and an order formally transferring the case from the juvenile court to the circuit court was filed. Prosecutors also announced they are not seeking the death penalty in this case.

The Grand Jury heard testimony from the Brevard Medical Examiner, a Brevard County Sherriff’s Office crime scene investigator and a Rockledge Police detective before returning with the indictment.

Christian is expected to be transferred to the Brevard County Jail where he will be held on No Bond. No trial date has been set in this case.

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