JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Twenty-five years after the shooting death of a Jacksonville man, the Sheriff’s Office is hoping new information will come to light and give closure to Cecil “Pat” McMinn’s loved ones.
“Even if it’s the littlest thing. If you know something, say something,” said Diane McMinn, Pat’s wife.
The night of Oct. 13, 1995, changed their lives forever. McMinn left home to work the midnight shift at the King’s Road Post Office, but he never made it to work. He was found shot in his truck the next morning.
Diane told News4Jax that Wednesday would have been their 36th wedding anniversary. Pat and Diane met in 1983 while they were serving in the Navy.
“I looked at him and I said, ‘Wow, that’s the man I’m going to marry,’” Diane said.
A year and a half later, the two married and they later had two children.
Their children were only 7 and 4 when McMinn was killed, leaving the family with unanswered questions for decades.
“He may have stopped for gas or cigarettes and opened his wallet, and they probably seen it because he just got a loan against his truck for $2,000,” Diane said, guessing at what could have happened to her beloved husband.
Detectives on the case noted that McMinn’s wallet was missing.
“I’m hopeful,” Diane said. “I might be a little too hopeful.”
Detective Glenn Warkentien with JSO’s Cold Case Unit is working McMinn’s case. He said he’s exhausted every bit of evidence in the file and is turning to the community for help.
“I’ve resubmitted some of the DNA evidence or potential DNA evidence and the latent prints and see if we get anything from that,” said Warkentien.
Warkentien said more modern technology could make a difference, and he not giving up hope either. He shared photos of McMinn’s red Ford truck, hoping someone will remember something from that night 25 years ago.
“There’s really no witnesses or no one really there because where the incident occurred is very isolated,” the detective said. “It could’ve been a robbery or who knows.”
If you have any new information on this case, call police immediately at 904-630-0500.