JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A man who found a body on the side of the road while walking his dog Friday morning on Jacksonville's Westside told News4Jax that it appeared the young man had been beaten and dumped there.
Alex Miller called 911 about 6:45 a.m. Friday to report finding the body in the area of Bilken Drive East and Lafore Road, which is north of 103rd Street and west of Ricker Road.
“You wouldn’t think that a dead body (would be) laying right out your front door. (He's) somebody’s kid,” Miller said.
Homicide detectives said the man, who was in his late teens or early 20s, had signs of trauma to his body that indicated his death was not natural, but they declined to specify a possible cause of death.
Witnesses said the man's injuries appeared to be limited to his head.
Miller said the young man was wearing what looked like a wedding ring on his left hand.
“Just kids are dying all the time. It just don’t make sense,” Miller said.
Miller became emotional when he returned to the spot where he found the body and left flowers to honor the man’s memory.
“That’s where he was at, so if his family comes, I want them to know exact...” he said, tearing up. “So they will know now that is where he was.”
It’s unclear how long the young man's body was out there before Miller spotted it just a short distance away from homes. Evidence could be seen all along the grass, and neighbors believe whoever is responsible was familiar with the layout in the back of their neighborhood.
"They knew that no one was probably going to be looking because there are dead ends and there is nothing there," neighbor Earl Davis said.
Residents were shocked to see the back of their street wrapped in crime tape Friday morning, and many described the neighborhood as peaceful and very quiet.
They said they did not hear anything suspicious overnight and that it was quiet with the exception of some fireworks going off.
Another man who lives right by where the body was found said he heard tires squealing and what sounded like someone in a hurry to leave the area around 3 a.m.
Surveillance cameras could be seen in the neighborhood. Police and neighbors said they hope those cameras captured whoever is responsible for the man’s death.
Detectives had no suspect information and asked anyone who might know what happened to the man to call the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office non-emergency line at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.