JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Family and neighbors who live on the street where police found Savannah Gold’s body woke up Sunday shocked to hear what happened to the 21-year-old who had been missing since Wednesday.
A homicide detective, assisted by the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office dive team, found a body believed to be that of Gold on Saturday night in a lake at the end of Club Duclay Drive, off Blanding Boulevard near Collins Road.
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Detectives said Lee Rodarte, 28, who police said was a culinary manager at Bonefish Grill on San Jose Boulevard, admitted to killing Gold, who also worked at the restaurant, after police confronted him with discrepancies between his statement and what was seen on surveillance video in the parking lot of the restaurant.
Bonefish Grill reopened Monday after being closed Sunday after news broke that Gold's remains had been found.
News4Jax spoke with Gold's parents, who said they were especially shocked to learn that Rodarte allegedly confessed to killing their daughter. They said Gold had a warm personality and was full of life. They said they're choosing to celebrate her life.
"She's a great girl and we are going to miss her but we are celebrating her life," Gold's mother, Sherri Gold, said. "He (Rodarte) has extinguished a bright light and now because of it, I will never hold her babies. I will never let this go and he will never see the last of me. I will fight to the day I die to make sure he stays in there (jail)."
Gold's father, Daniel Gold, had a message for his daughters accused killer:
"You're not going to hide. We've got you. These people have you. They are not going to let you hide. We're not going to hide. We are going to be here representing our daughter every step of the way and we are not going to hide from this," he said. "We are going to celebrate her life and we are not going to hide from the tragedy this is, and we want him to know that you are not going to intimidate us. You are not going to scare us. There is no chance. We are going to be here."
Daniel Gold said he ran into Rodarte at Bonefish Grill after Savannah's disappearance and that Rodarte looked him straight in his eyes and offered well-wishes in finding his daughter alive.
"When I walked away from him, I was like, ‘That guy has got nothing to do with this. I know he’s involved with Savannah somewhat, but he can't be the guy.’ Just because he was so -- Looking at you and smiling," Daniel Gold said. "Now that I know who it is, it’s -- my soul would never allow me to do that. My conscience would never allow that."
Remembering Savannah
Memorials have been growing at Bonefish Grill and at the place police said Gold's remains were found.
But one local business wanted to go a step further and give the community a chance to express written condolences to Gold's family.
“Grief is grief, and in this situation, this is horrific on levels that are unimaginable,” said Jimmy Hughey, director of the Jacksonville Pet Funeral Home and Pet Memorial Park. “We wanted to reach out to this family and help them and support them in the best way that we know how.”
The pet crematory will have a public memorial book for the community to sign beginning Monday afternoon at 4969 Beach Blvd. Book signing hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
“The people who drive up and down Beach Boulevard, the 60 to 70,000 people every day, have this opportunity to stop and share with this family,” Hughey said.
Evelyn Scott was one of those passing by Monday who stopped to share her sympathy with Gold's family.
“I don't know what I'm going to say, but I'm going to say that it hurts. It hurts all of us and everyone is sad,” Scott said. “I knew people who taught her. It's just sad.”
The book is available for anyone to come by and sign and will be delivered to Gold's family next week, Hughey said. He hopes Gold's parents see the hundreds, even thousands, of lives touched by their daughter's loss.
Other neighbors have spend time since Gold's death reminiscing about her.
“She was definitely a free-spirit and she was definitely a person you would want in your life,” said Alyce Litsas, a family friend. We had no idea how it was going to end. We were very hopeful, and optimistic. It’s tragedy, it’s just tragic how it ended, but we’re glad that we have her back, because it could have been months before we had her back."
Cathie Lyons was a neighbor of Gold's. She said that she was shocked when she heard of her disappearance.
"I don’t know if the hurt will every go away but I hope that they can find some peace somewhere," Lyons said.
The next step, neighbors said, is going to be finding a way to come to terms with the loss of their neighbor, friend and family member.
"The next part of the closure is to make sure that justice is served and that he stays there for the rest of his life knowing that he has taken a golden treasure from so many people, from so many of us," Lyons said. "We all love her."
Neighbors concerned about crime
Travis Wilson, who lives at the end of Club Duclay Drive, said he is sick of the crime taking place in the area and plans on moving out.
He said he pulled up to a crime scene Saturday night after celebrating his daughter’s birthday. On Sunday morning, he found out what happened.
“That's so sad. A 21-year-old girl like that. I mean, there's just no call for that,” Wilson said.
IMAGES: Family shares photos of Savannah Gold
Wilson said crime is a growing problem on his dead-end street, especially near the cul-de-sac. Wilson, who moved there five years ago, said it’s gotten progressively worse, with one incident after another.
“We've seen drug deals go down on the corner. We called the police about it, about four weeks ago. We had somebody come through here in a car and drive back there in the woods and shot shots into the pond. That's about the third time in two years that that has happened,” Wilson said.
With a 1-year-old daughter, he says “enough is enough.”
“It hurts me to leave, but I have to,” Wilson said.
Wilson said that Gold’s death was the last straw.
“Oh, I'm moving. Yeah, I'm moving,” Wilson said. “We are doing that anyways for other reasons, but after last night, it just kind of confirmed it for us.”
News4Jax crime and safety analyst Gil Smith spent the morning speaking with residents who live on Club Duclay Drive.
He expects police to keep a close look out on the area, which neighbors say keeps attracting trouble.
“I'm sure there are other crimes that are committed there, according to the neighbors. I'm sure JSO will be keeping an eye on this area for further criminal activity," Smith said.