JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrested Dana Tra Von Smith, 28, and Elizabeth Anne Bell, 22, in connection with a June 18, 2022, murder in Riverside.
Keenan Sparks, a 27-year-old man was found fatally shot on a Saturday morning on Sydney Street near Willowbranch Park.
Friends said Sparks moved to Jacksonville to be closer to his parents and recently started working as a delivery driver with DoorDash.
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Detectives got an arrest warrants for the two suspects in late March.
After receiving the warrants, detectives found both individuals were already in jail on unrelated charges and re-arrested them.
Smith was arrested for murder and Bell was arrested for accessory after the fact in the murder.
The JSO struggled to identify Sparks’ body after the shooting, after posting a photo of one of Sparks’ tattoos on social media. Several friends and loved ones said they immediately knew it was him were able to confirm his identity.
“Oh my God. My heart sank,” said Amy Alvarez, a close friend. “I can’t wrap my head around it.”
Described as a “gentle giant,” Sparks was always willing to go out of his way to help others.
“He was awesome. He was full of joy, and he’d be the type of guy who even if he was down to his last penny, if someone else needed it — he’d give it to you,” Alvarez said.
Several neighbors, who spoke to News4JAX on a condition of anonymity, said they woke up around 6 a.m. Saturday, saying they saw police cruisers in the area.
There’s no word currently of a potential motive.
“Justice will be served,” Alvarez said. “And when that day comes, I’m going to be in the courtroom.”
Investigators said they are combing the area for cameras and surveillance footage to help point them in the direction of who may be responsible.
A spokesperson for DoorDash said the company is working with law enforcement throughout the investigation. It’s unclear if he was working at the time of his death.
Anyone with information can submit a tip to the Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida.