Man allegedly killed mother after breaking into his house through the dog flap

John “Jake” Aylor, 37, was arrested Tuesday in Brandon, Florida, and charged with armed burglary of a dwelling with bodily harm and first-degree murder during burglary in connection with the death of his mother, Julie Aylor, 64.

According to Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister, who spoke about the crime in a press conference, Aylor broke into his mother's house around 4:30 a.m. on August 12 “by crawling through the dog door” – which he reportedly did “multiple times.”

“He breaks in in the middle of the night and steals anything he can get his hands on. This is a family, this is a mother who has taken care of his child since he was born 10 years ago,” Chronister said. “Since he's been in and out of prison since 2003, she's the caregiver, she's the person his daughter can rely on as a guardian.”

According to Chronister, Aylor's “criminal activity” dates back to 2003 – and since then he has been arrested at least 24 times for theft and drug offenses. However, he was not violent, the sheriff said.

Authorities believe that after the break-in, he armed himself with a knife and went to his mother's bedroom – where she said they had an “argument about what he was allowed to steal” because he “was not happy or satisfied with what he was able to take that day.” According to the sheriff, he then stabbed her once in the chest, describing it as a “fatal blow.”

“This 10-year-old and another teenager who lives in the house and is also part of the family are awakened by their grandmother's cries for help. As she dries herself off, she begs her son, the very person who just stabbed her, to help her,” Chronister claims, saying she cried, “Jake, help me. Jake, help me.”

“This is what those poor kids experienced last night. She's panicking, she's dying, she desperately needs help,” he continued. “She crawls out of her bedroom, crawls into the teenager's bedroom, begging her to call 911.”

When first responders arrived, Julie was dead.

Aylor, who was reportedly homeless, was arrested by authorities around 4 a.m. on August 13 following a call from a “concerned citizen.” The bodycam footage above shows his arrest.

“She just wanted me to help her. I couldn't help her,” said the 16-year-old teenager in the house, identified as Jaylynn Blair, FOX13. “I just miss her. She helped a lot of people, she was always there for me and everyone around her. She never left anyone without anything, never left her son without anything.”

According to the victim's daughter, Kristina Blair, the assault occurred a few days after her mother allowed her brother to use her shower and made him sandwiches at her house before sending him away.

“I never thought my brother would take my mother's life. My brother took my mother from me, for the rest of my life,” Kristina continued. “He acted like he had no remorse, he didn't care that he killed my mother. He didn't just take my mother from me – my daughter, my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters, brothers. She loved everyone. She cared for everyone.”

According to Fox, family members said Julie viewed her son as a threat for years and repeatedly tried to use public resources to help.

Chronister, meanwhile, said this is the 14th family-related homicide in the area this year – after only 16 in all of 2023.

“Family violence is a silent crime,” he said in his press conference. “We can only stop this type of crime if you are a victim of family violence and you take the courageous step to ask for help… if you have the courage to say enough is enough and ask for help… before it is too late.”