Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold named in Florida court order connected to robbery, kidnapping case
Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold was named in a Florida court order that is connected to a robbery and kidnapping case.
No charges have been filed against Arnold, who was a 2024 first-round NFL draft pick. Arnold's attorney says his client "had no involvement whatsoever in the activities that led to those arrests."
In a Feb. 24 court order, Hillsborough County Circuit Court Judge J. Logan Murphy wrote that the robbery and kidnapping were allegedly orchestrated by 23-year-old Boakai Hilton, an associate of Arnold, in retaliation for two robberies that happened at an Airbnb Arnold was renting in Largo.
Records show that Hilton was arrested on Feb. 17, and he faces three kidnapping charges and three robbery charges. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Records show that his co-defendants, including a woman who was identified in court records as Arnold's girlfriend, were also arrested.
In a statement, Arnold's attorney said:
To be clear, Mr. Arnold had no involvement whatsoever in the activities that led to those arrests. He did not participate in, nor was he present for, any conduct related to the alleged offenses. There is no evidence in police reports, text messages, or witness statements that implicates Mr. Arnold in any way.
In fact, after direct communication with the lead prosecutor, it has been confirmed that no charges have been filed against Mr. Arnold in connection with this matter.
Recent media coverage has referenced an Order issued by Circuit Judge J. Logan Murphy, which improperly suggests Mr. Arnold's involvement in the incident. That same Order also incorrectly identifies Ms. Devalle as Mr. Arnold's girlfriend. Both assertions are false, misleading, and entirely unsupported by the record.
Mr. Arnold categorically denies these unfounded claims and maintains his complete innocence. He was not involved in the crimes allegedly committed on February 4, 2026, in Tampa, Florida.
We strongly urge members of the media to refrain from perpetuating inaccurate or speculative narratives. The facts are clear, and they do not support any claim of wrongdoing by Mr. Arnold.
Murphy granted a pretrial detention against Hilton, saying that "the risk of harm and intimidation to the victims and any witnesses is high, and I find there is a significant probability that they would encounter harm if Hilton is granted pretrial release."
Murphy wrote that Arnold's Airbnb was robbed twice, with designer bags, $100,000 in cash, an $80,000 necklace and a cellphone issued to Arnold by the NFL among the items stolen. Murphy wrote that Arnold began to suspect the private driver he had hired was involved, and he and his friends "decided to take matters into their own hands," though they reported the robberies to authorities.
Murphy wrote that Hilton allegedly "appears to be the quarterback calling the play" and orchestrated an ambush.
Murphy wrote that Arnold's driver and his two associates were lured to an apartment, where Hilton's co-defendants allegedly beat and pistol-whipped them and took their phones and wallets in an attempt to get them to admit that they were involved in the robberies at Arnold's Airbnb.
However, Murphy wrote that there is no evidence showing the three victims were involved.
Although court documents did not show that Hilton was involved in the actual attack, one of the victims identified him when he eventually arrived at the apartment.
"The nature of the offense is incredibly concerning. Rather than allowing law enforcement to investigate and retrieve the stolen property, the co-defendants sought vigilante justice by kidnapping the victims for over an hour, interrogating them, beating them, and threatening them with a gun barrel in the mouth," Murphy wrote.
"Given the consistent accounts from the three victims and the two text message chains introduced into evidence, the weight of the evidence against Hilton is overwhelming."
CBS News Detroit contacted Hilton's attorney for comment and is awaiting a response.
