His video ‘to disprove that he shot at the vehicle’ contained facts ‘only known to the suspect,’ detective says

PAISLEY, Fla. – The “call for service” took place in the middle of a scary situation.

A woman was “advising that there were three vehicles attempting to run her off the road,” a detective’s affidavit said, “and identified the vehicles as a white Tahoe, gold Tahoe, and white F-150.

“While on the phone with dispatch, she advised that the subjects were approaching them, and then reported that their back window was just busted out.

“She identifies ‘Cole’ and ‘Brooke’ Tiller, who ‘shot/busted the back glass on the truck.’

“The victim and complainant fled the area” and met deputies at a nearby school, where the white Chevy SUV “displayed a rear window with significant damage.

“The damage consisted of [a] shattered but intact rear window with what appears to be a high velocity impact strike, causing damage to the rear window.

“The victim states that he and several friends were in the Ocala National Forest, visiting an area known to locals as ‘5 Points,’ when they observed a group of vehicles rapidly approaching.

“They identified these vehicles as the ones above and identified ‘Cole’ and ‘Brooke’ Tiller as being among them in a gold-in-color Chevy SUV.”

That was the story late on July 30 in Florida, where witnesses “trying to escape” told authorities “they heard a bang and observed the window shattered, and believe a shot had been fired by Cole, who was directly behind them.

“They described that as the shot was fired, Cole turned around and fled the area in the gold Chevy SUV.

“[The victim] advises that due to them being chased by ‘Cole,’ his vehicle was damaged, including his suspension and front bumper.”

However, the detective admitted in the affidavit, “No projectile was found to be contained within the vehicle, and nothing appeared to penetrate the rear window.”

The next day, the detective was assigned the case, since no arrest had been made.

“I identified ‘Cole’ as Robert Cole Tiller,” he wrote, “and ‘Brooke’ as” his girlfriend, “utilizing both law enforcement and open source (public) investigative resources,” such as social media, which would play an even larger role in this case.

The girlfriend, who was neither arrested nor charged, “goes by the vanity name of Brooke Tiller on social media,” the detective learned, and “has a photograph of a gold-in-color Chevy SUV, which was posted on May 30, 2024, with distinct aftermarket 6-point black and chrome rims.

“Additionally, this detective found a photograph posted to [her] social media of her with Robert Cole Tiller, in which ‘Cole Tiller’ is tagged in comments.”

Another damning piece of evidence landed the next day, Aug. 1, when the victim told the detective “he had received a Snapchat video from [name], which was the owner of the white-in-color F-150 that was chasing him on July 30, 2024.

“This video was a response from Robert Cole Tiller denying shooting at [the victim’s] vehicle,” and the detective wrote the 55 second video “appears to be genuine and unedited.

“In watching the video, the videographer, believed to be Robert Tiller, exits a gold-in-color Chevy SUV via the driver’s door, stating, ‘All right, so we came back so I can prove to you there was no gunshot.

“‘And I’m going to walk right over here and look what I just found, a socket.’

“He picks up the black-in-color deep well socket, claiming it was the first time he picked it up, and then shows the glass on the road from the victim’s vehicle.

“He then proceeds to walk over to the front driver rim of the gold-in-color Chevy SUV, and inserts the socket onto the lug nut, to demonstrate that it is a socket wrench.

“The video continues with Robert Tiller stating, ‘That is what hit y’all, there was no bullet.’

“He then points out tire tracks from the victim’s vehicle as it pulled over, and then shows the tracks ‘where I spun around.’

“He continues to show glass fragments on the roadway.

“As the video ends, he shows the socket in his open hand and states, ‘that is what hit y’all. It’s even a little shiny from f*****g glass particles.’

“Metadata contained within the vehicle shows that it was recorded on July 31st at 2:36:59 hours,” only about four hours after the events described.

The detective concluded, “Robert Tiller sent the Snapchat video out to disprove that he shot at the vehicle; however, a side effect of that video is that Robert Tiller admitted to throwing a missile at a vehicle, which caused the damage to the victim’s vehicle.

“Information in the video, such as where he turned around, the location of a single socket on a dirt road, and the socket fitting lug nuts for the vehicle he was driving are facts of the crime only known to the suspect, Robert Tiller.”

Tiller, 21, was charged with throwing “a hard substance from a moving vehicle that would/could produce great bodily harm,” the detective described, “at a vehicle that was being used or occupied,” and with criminal mischief-property damage $1,000 or more. Both are felonies.

He was arrested in the morning of Sept. 16, his bond was set at $15,000, and he was released after 27 hours in jail.

No possible motives were mentioned.