Woman, boyfriend subject of police search found safe in Volusia County

Jacksonville police had suggested woman was being held against her will

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two days after police asked for help Wednesday night locating a Tennessee woman who they said might be in danger, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office announced she and the man she was with were found.

Police had said the woman might have been held against her will by her boyfriend after a reported carjacking. They released photos of the two along with a car with Tennessee license plates in which they might be traveling.

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Based on initial information, the two might have been staying in the Jacksonville Beach area. A viewer sent News4Jax cellphone video recorded Wednesday in Edgewood that appears to show the vehicle that police were looking for, but that was not confirmed by investigators. The viewer said it appears two people were fighting inside.

According to the police report, the woman's husband got a text message from her phone saying the boyfriend, "has carjacked me with me in the car and is threatening to kill me. We're in Jacksonville and will be heading to Interlachen, from what he says."

"It is a red flag because it prompts them to look into it and see if this is, in fact, a legitimate abduction," News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson said while the couple was missing.

On Thursday, police said the couple was seen in Volusia County.

On Friday afternoon, JSO announced they were located in Volusia. There's no word on if there was a carjacking or any other criminal activity involved, but police said the investigation was ongoing.

"Thank you to everyone for helping us get the word out and for the abundance of tips received," the JSO tweeted.


About the Authors:

Kelly Wiley, an award-winning investigative reporter, joined the News4Jax I-Team in June 2019.

Award-winning broadcast and multimedia journalist with 20 years experience.