FORT MYERS -- Police say four suspected burglars from across Alligator Alley were responsible for the slaying of NFL star Sean Taylor -- and relatives of one suspect said he had attended a birthday party held at the football player's home.

Miami-Dade police announced Friday night that the men face charges in the death of the Washington Redskins football star following a weeklong manhunt that drew the scrutiny of national media.

''We have confessions, but I'm not going to talk about the details of the confessions at this point,'' Miami-Dade Police Director Robert Parker said at a news conference in Doral.

The family of suspect Jason Mitchell, 19, told The Miami Herald that he had attended a party for Taylor's half-sister, Sasha Johnson, at Taylor's Palmetto Bay home. Investigators believe Taylor's relatives may have bragged about his wealth.

Police also arrested Charles Wardlow, 18, a cousin of Johnson's boyfriend. Also cuffed were Eric Rivera, 17, and Venjah Hunte, 20. All face murder charges.

Investigators late Friday were still trying to figure out who shot Taylor.

As is common in such cases, the four gave detectives conflicting statements and blamed one another.

Under Florida law, anyone who commits a felony that leads to a death can be charged with murder.

Parker stressed that the men did not expect Taylor to be home. Police say the burglars escaped into a waiting car.

''They were not targeting the individual. . . . They were certainly not looking to go there and kill anyone,'' Parker said.

MORE ARRESTS?

Miami-Dade homicide detectives and Florida Department of Law Enforcement agents rounded up the four early Friday. They were questioned at FDLE's Fort Myers headquarters.

There may be more suspects, Parker said.

Friday's news conference capped an emotional week that began Monday morning when Taylor, a South Miami-Dade native and former University of Miami star, was shot in the groin in his bedroom. Taylor had heard noises and grabbed a machete as he tried to protect his fiancée, Jackie Garcia, and their 18-month-old girl. The two hid under the covers as Taylor was shot.

One bullet pierced the wall. The other sliced Taylor's femoral artery, causing massive blood loss. He died at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday at Jackson Memorial Hospital.

The arrests countered rampant media speculation that Taylor's past -- an earlier brush with the law and old neighborhood friends -- contributed to his death.

''The truth is that Sean's past didn't lead . . . to what happened. If anything, his generosity and openness led to this crime,'' his former defense attorney, Richard Sharpstein, said Friday night.

Parker said tips from the public helped crack the case. He did not elaborate.

Police said family members have fully cooperated with the investigation.

Miami-Dade homicide detectives were aided by prosecutors Ray Araujo and Reid Rubin, as well as the U.S. Marshal's Office and law enforcement on Florida's west coast.

''I commend the hard work of the Miami-Dade Police Department for their superb investigation of this killing, and I applaud the work of my prosecutors who have been working hand-in-hand with these officers to ensure that justice will be done,'' Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle said.

THE SUSPECTS

Scrutiny will now focus on the young men -- none of whom has an extensive criminal past.

Relatives of Mitchell, 19, said he attended a birthday bash for Sasha Johnson, who dates Christopher Devon Wardlow, 21. His cousin is suspect Charles Wardlow, who plays football for Florida Christian Institute, a school for at-risk youths.

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