Palm Coast man staged son's crime scene after shooting death of 18-month-old, sheriff says: 'Not CSI experts'

FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. - A second arrest has been made in the shooting death of an 18-month-old girl in Palm Coast back in September 2023 after it was revealed the father of the man who was originally arrested allegedly helped "stage" his son's crime scene. 

"This case is a prime example that the apple didn't fall far from the tree," Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly said during a press conference on Monday morning. "He certainly will never be father of the year. In fact, he won't be father of the day … I hope he and his son enjoy prison." 

CJ Nelson Jr., 21, was taken into custody after the shooting when he was found in violation of his probation. In November, a grand jury indicted him for manslaughter with a firearm, and he was arrested while at the Flagler County Jail where he was being held without bond for violating his probation. 

On Monday morning, Sheriff Rick Staly announced a second arrest – his father, CJ Nelson Sr. 

CJ Nelson Jr. (left) and CJ Nelson Sr. (right) (Photo: Flagler County Sheriff's Office)

He was charged with two counts of tampering with evidence and two counts of lying to law enforcement during an investigation, Staly said. The 46-year-old man – who reportedly has a long rap sheet with multiple arrests and 18 charges dating back to 2003 for drug possession, child neglect and battery – allegedly helped his son stage the crime scene in the moments after the shooting, Staly said.

On Sept. 3, 2023, deputies arrived at the Palm Coast home and found the 18-month-old girl shot. She ultimately wasn't able to be saved by first responders. Meanwhile, CJ Nelson Jr. and his father CJ Nelson Sr. were alone together in the house, Staly said. 

Staly said detectives were able to link CJ Nelson Jr. and CJ Nelson Sr. due to "very good detective work." 

"During the investigation, it became apparent the crime scene had been tampered with and evidence was likely disposed of and cleaned up. It was also obvious that based on the evidence and scene, that persons that were in the house when the shooting occurred were not being truthful to investigators," Staly said, doubling down on his statement from when the shooting first happened. 

Staly said CJ Nelson Sr. was called to the scene and arrived "almost immediately" after the shooting. When he got there, he "provided instructions on how to stage the scene," Staly said. 

CJ Nelson Sr. is accused of taking the firearm his son allegedly used in the shooting, using a T-shirt to wipe off fingerprints and placing it in the bedroom where deputies eventually found it. Staly said he also told witnesses to provide an alibi for him, instructing them to tell deputies that he and his son were both outside smoking at the time of the shooting. 

Deputies, however, still found CJ Nelson Jr.'s fingerprints on the gun, and also saw pictures of him on social media holding the gun. 

Credit: Flagler County Sheriff's Office

"You may be wondering how CJ Nelson knew how to stage a crime scene and what to do," Staly said. "Well frankly, he's a dirtbag, and he probably learned it in prison." 

CJ Nelson Sr. also instructed his son to take a shower at the home where they relocated to after the shooting while other family members were at the hospital with the 18-month-old girl, Staly said. 

CJ Nelson Sr. (Photo: Flagler County Sheriff's Office)

"The scene tells a lot. Prison inmates are not CSI experts, and they're not detectives. They might think they are, but they're not," Staly said. 

During the investigation, detectives also obtained jail phone recordings where CJ Nelson Sr. allegedly made threats against members of the media, deputies, detectives and Sheriff Staly. CJ Nelson Sr.'s alleged threats weren't revealed during Monday's press conference.

"He didn't quite go far enough. See, he knows just enough to take it to the line where we can't arrest his a** for making a threat, but he took it right to it," Staly said. "He'll cross the line eventually." 

An arrest warrant – which included a stipulation of no contact with his son – was obtained Friday, and CJ Nelson Sr. was taken into custody while he was putting money in his son's bank account at the Flagler County Jail, Staly said. His bond, however, was set at $15,000 and he has since been released. 

Photo: Flagler County Sheriff's Office

Staly said he's working with the State Attorney's Office to either give CJ Nelson Sr. a higher bond or to have the bond revoked. 

"I personally believe CJ Nelson Sr. is a threat to witnesses and members of the sheriff's office … We'll just have to see where it goes," Staly said. "The court system is the court system, we don't control that aspect, but I do think that he's a danger to a variety of people."  

The possibility of other family members being involved in the shooting isn't off the table, Staly said. 

"This investigation is still not over. It would not surprise me if other things occur," he said. 

Detective First Class Kathryn Gordon said the family of the 18-month-old girl is "confused" and "angry" after the arrest of CJ Nelson Sr. 

"They're glad that some kind of justice has come," Gordon said, adding that "this is not the end" of the situation for them.