JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is still looking for answers after finding a dead body in the backyard of an abandoned home on the Westside Sunday evening, but family members are certain that it's the body of their loved one, 23-year-old Jabari Baker.
The abandoned home sits off of Lake Shore Boulevard and JSO said that injuries to the body of the unidentified victim there lead them to believe foul play was involved.
Police believe the body had been out there for days and neighbors said that not a lot of people walk past the home, it's been vacant and has been for some time, which is why it took so long to find the body.
Shanika Baker, Jabari Baker's mother, said that her son has been missing since last Friday and that detectives confirmed to her that it was her son.
Joe Brunson is a resident of the neighborhood and said that though the neighborhood has good and bad spots, he was still shocked when police converged on the home Sunday after the body was found.
He said at first he thought people were about to get into a fight, but when he found out it was a dead body, he was stunned.
AJ Jordan, the vice president of MAD DADS, walks door to door in areas like this whenever there's a senseless act of violence, and he said this fits the bill.
"That is bad that someone would just dump his body, and just leave it right there. The family didn't know where their loved one was at, and to leave that body like that, it's just inexcusable," Jordan said.
Jordan said he feels for the man's family and said there are several local organizations that can help them get through this awful time.
His group sees crimes like this one all too often but his message remains the same, a message he hopes can stop the cycle of violence that's gotten out of control.
"JSO is looking for you. The community wants you off the streets. Do the right thing. Turn yourself in. Tell your side of the story. If it's not the way it seems, you have the opportunity to tell your side of the story. Turn yourself in," Jordan said.
Shanika Baker also had a message for someone who may know what happened.
"How can you live with yourself, if you know the truth and you're not going to tell it?" Baker asked.
Jordan said parents need to pay extra-close attention to their kids, who they're hanging out with, where they're going. He said parents play a key role in keeping kids from getting caught up in the wrong crowd.
He also wanted to remind anyone with information on what may have happened to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS, where people can leave an anonymous tip and be eligible for a reward with information leading to an arrest.