JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The family of a 26-year-old man whose body was found just after midnight Monday beside a road in a Mayport neighborhood told MAD DADS that he was a former high school wrestler in Clay County who was working at a shipyard in the area.
The body of Dylan McCurdy was found along Featherwood Drive, about 1 mile from his home.
"It’s really broken our heart," said his father, Bruce McCurdy Sr. "This is the toughest thing we’ve ever been through."
Police initially believed Dylan McCurdy died in a hit-and-run crash but police said evidence at the scene indicated foul play was involved and are they now investigating the death as a murder.
"I’d spit in their face," said the victim's sister, Taylar McCurdy. "Call them scum., I’ll call them every low name in the book, because that’s exactly what they are."
"It takes a coward to do this to somebody’s family," brother Bruce McCurdy Jr. said.
Homicide detectives said they didn't know if Dylan McCurdy was killed where he was found or it happened somewhere else and his body was left on the residential street in Mayport.
His father said they had talked on Saturday and everything was fine.
"As far as an enemy, we didn’t know anything about anyone against Dylan, after Dylan," McCurdy Sr. said.
Anyone with information about Dylan McCurdy's death is asked to call Crime Stoppers. Callers can remain anonymous and could be eligible for a cash reward of up to $3,000.
"Dylan was a loving soul who just wanted to be everyone's friend and make everyone laugh," members of his family wrote on a GoFundMe page asking for donations to help pay for his funeral. "He was murdered and it has left our family in complete disbelief and sorrow. We are reaching out to all our family and friends for many needed prayers and anything that anyone can do to help us with the expenses would be greatly appreciate(d)."
A funeral is planned Friday at Jacksonville Memorial Gardens in Orange Park, with a viewing at 1 p.m. and funeral at 2 p.m.
