Jacksonville homicide total hits triple digits with 2 months left in 2018

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville's homicide total hit triple digits for the seventh consecutive year in October.

Of eight homicides in September and 11 in October, seven were women or girls, including at least three women killed in incidents of domestic violence and a 5-year-old girl police said died at the hands of her mother's boyfriend.

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PREVIOUS HOMICIDE LISTS: January | February | March | April, May | June | July | August

Jacksonville is still trending slightly behind the number of homicides the city saw last year. Last September, News4Jax recorded nine homicides in Jacksonville and 12 in October. Through the first 10 months of the year, Jacksonville has seen 103 homicides, compared with 113 at the same time last year, according to News4Jax records.

Our records showed 141 total homicides in 2017. In 2016, we counted 120 homicides. 

Below, we have listed the names and ages of the September and October homicide victims and the information surrounding their deaths. We have included a photo of each victim, when available. Previous mugshots were used only when no other photo was available.

Many of the cases remain unsolved. If you have information about any of these crimes, call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.


Javorris JohnsonSaturday, Sept. 1

Javorris Johnson, 28

Johnson was found stabbed outside of a car on the city's Westside and died at a hospital, police said. A woman who was found holding a knife and covered in blood was questioned. Police said some sort of argument occurred before an altercation took place. Investigators were not sure what the relationship was between Johnson and the woman. Police later said Johnson's death was ruled justifiable and the case was "exceptionally cleared." 


Jocolby CummingsWednesday, Sept. 5

Jocolby Cummings, 22

Police said Cummings was found shot to death between two buildings at a Jammes Road apartment complex. No suspect information was released.

 

 


Tavarius JenkinsSaturday, Sept. 8

Tavarius Jenkins, 18

Jenkins, a First Coast High student, was shot inside a Northwest Jacksonville home and died at a hospital, police said. No suspect information was released.

 


James ReeseMonday, Sept. 10

James Reese, 20

Police said Reese was found dead in the courtyard of an Arlington apartment complex. He had been shot several times. They had no description of a possible shooter. 

 


Rafael SurSunday, Sept. 16

Rafael Sur, 69

Officers responded to an assault in progress at a Southside home and found Sur, a Navy veteran, injured, according to an incident report. Police later said Jessica Norton, 31, was being evicted from Sur's house and the two got into a fight that turned physical. Police said Norton beat Sur so severely that he died from his injuries. She has been charged with murder.

 


Andrea WashingtonMonday, Sept. 17

Andrea Washington, 37

Police said Washington, a Navy chief petty officer, was found dead in her home after a medical call the same week she was due to ship out on the USS Hue City. She was found shot to death hours before a hearing was scheduled on a protective order against her boyfriend, Danny Ray Beard, 36, who was later arrested and charged with her murder.


Demetrius PorteeFriday, Sept. 28

Demetrius Portee, 35

Portee was shot and killed in the Mixon Town area of Jacksonville, police said. Shawn Smith, 33, has been charged with his murder. Police said Smith and a woman drove a car off a bridge before they were taken into custody in Atlantic Beach.


Barbara GrubbsSaturday, Sept. 29

Barbara Grubbs, 55

Police said Grubbs and her daughter were stabbed by the father of her daughter's children inside an Arlington apartment. Grubbs' daughter survived the attack, and Alonzo Cole, 34, has been charged with murder and attempted murder. Family members said Grubbs' daughter had been in a relationship with Cole and the two had three children together,


Dana DansonMonday, Oct. 1

Dana Danson, 31

Danson was found partially naked under a bridge on Zoo Parkway. Police have not said how she died but they are investigating her death as a murder. No suspect information has been released.

 


Carlos JeffersonThursday, Oct. 4

Carlos Jefferson, 38

Police said Jefferson crashed his car into a power pole after he was shot in the Woodstock neighborhood. He died at a hospital. Police did not have a description of the shooter.

 


Tynikkia TannerSaturday, Oct. 6

Tynikkia Tanner, 21

Tanner was found shot to death inside the Vista apartment complex on Cleveland Road. Police later said her boyfriend, Dontonieo Sapp-Denson, tried to make it look like she committed suicide. Sapp-Denson has been charged with murder and tampering with evidence.


Ashley StephensSaturday, Oct. 6

Ashley Stephens, 34

Police said Stephens was shot and killed by her estranged husband in the parking lot of the Cross Creek Apartments. Marco Stephens, 29, approached a deputy in Tampa and made incriminating statements about a crime in Jacksonville, police said, adding that he had what appeared to be blood on his clothes. He said he was going to kill himself but decided to turn himself in, according to police.


Derian McGooginSaturday, Oct. 13

Derian McGoogin, 23

Police said McGoogin was found shot to death in a flower bed outside a home in Northwest Jacksonville. They have no suspects in the shooting. 

 

 


Jennifer HerbertMonday, Oct. 15

Jennifer Herbert, 48

Herbert's body was found inside her home when police did a welfare check after a man who identified himself as Herbert's husband told doctors in Daytona Beach that he'd killed her, according to police. Investigators said 51-year-old Wilford Chason, a registered sex offender who listed Herbert's home as his address on the state offender database, has been charged with Herbert's murder.


Zykerria RobinsonFriday, Oct. 19

Zykerria Robinson, 5

Police said Zykerria's mother admitted that her boyfriend hit the girl in the head and face until she became unconscious. The girl died at a hospital two days later. Zykerria's mother, Michelle Cannimore, 26, and her boyfriend, Jonte Harris, 26, have been charged with murder in the girl's death.

 


Elias MartinezSunday, Oct. 21

Elias Martinez, 40

Police said Martinez was found shot to death between two buildings in the Avesta Mandarin apartment complex. Police had no suspects in the shooting, but they are investigating Martinez's death as a murder.

 

 


Robert WilliamsSunday, Oct. 21

Robert Williams, 76

Williams was one of six people shot in a drive-by at a laundromat about a half-mile from TIAA Bank Field shortly before a Jaguars game. Williams died from his injuries. At least two other adults were in critical condition. Police released surveillance images of a car they believe was involved in the shooting, saying someone in the passenger side opened fire.


Omarion SparrowSunday, Oct. 21

Omarion Mekhi Sparrow, 16

Sparrow was found shot to death on West 45th Street in Northwest Jacksonville. Police have not released any details about the case.


Desmond WhiteMonday, Oct. 29

Desmond White, 24

White was found with several gunshot wounds on Royal Court Lane near Moncrief Road. He died at a hospital. Four days later, police announced the arrest of Xavier Daniels, 21, on a murder charge. They said Daniels had been following White and shot him.


About the Authors:

A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.