JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 25-year-old woman who was killed last week at a Southside apartment complex is being remembered by her parents as being “beautiful inside and out.”
Aisha Levy had a bright future in front of her, Marlow Levy, her father, and Dr. Anthonia Levy, her stepmother, told News4Jax on Thursday.
“She was still finding her way through the world, but she was happily trying to figure out the world and trying to figure out herself. But she was a beautiful person," Marlow Levy said. "To us, she really was special and she was a light to us. And whenever she was around, she smiled, she laughed a lot.”
The parents described the young woman as a creative soul who loved to write and read.
“She was a Marvel fanatic. She was just one of those kids that were happy most of the time," Marlow Levy said. “She loved her makeup and she was a girly girl."
They also said their daughter would help anyone in need.
“She would give anyone the shirt off her back,” Dr. Anthonia Levy said.
Police have arrested Markas Fishburne, 25, on charges of second-degree murder, tampering with evidence and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in connection with Aisha Levy’s death.
Aisha Levy was found dead Friday inside an apartment at Green Tree Place Apartment on Princeton Square Boulevard, off of Baymeadows Road. Marlow Levy said he was at the airport Friday when he got a phone call, saying his daughter was missing. He said he learned his daughter’s boyfriend came home to find their Southside apartment covered in blood. Her boyfriend told police he smelled bleach and noticed his gun was missing.
“They didn’t know where she was at. Then the police asked me if they could go into the home and execute a warrant and went into the home and that’s when they found her," Marlow Levy said. "I think when you hear that news, you’re in such disbelief about it and you’re in shock and you’re trying to hold yourself together and then you’re trying to process it all.”
According to Fishburne’s arrest report, her body had been wrapped up and stuffed into a plastic storage bin that was located in a closet.
Investigators were able to track down Fishburne, who had been staying with Levy and her boyfriend. He was taken into custody at the Jacksonville Greyhound Bus terminal and arrested shortly before he boarded a bus for Indiana.
Fishburne told investigators that he and Levy had an “altercation," according to the arrest report.
“We’re still in shock. It’s overwhelming and it’s one of those things where you don’t think something like this happens to your family, so it’s all a little surreal," said Marlow Levy, who told News4Jax that he had never heard of Fishburne before. “There was no Christmas this year. That was one of her favorite holidays. And we can remember waking up on Christmas morning and her running down the stairs and she was so excited and that was challenging for us."
Court records show Fishburne has a history of violent attacks. While investigating Fishburne’s past, News4Jax discovered he was arrested Dec. 12 on a domestic battery charge after a fight with his father, according to court records. The I-TEAM found an injunction from April, when a Jacksonville mother successfully petitioned a judge for a restraining order against Fishburne, claiming she feared for her and her family’s lives. Additionally, court records show he has several previous arrests in Indiana on charges that include battery and invasion of privacy.
“I want the Investigators to do everything possible to track down this guy’s past and his history," Aisha Levy’s father said.
Marlow Levy said his daughter "was our family’s princess.” He shared that he’s grateful for his last conversation with her the night before she died.
“At least I had an opportunity to tell her, ‘I love you,' and I never tried to miss the opportunity when I got off the phone to say,' I love you,' and she would say, ‘I love you too, Daddy.' And so if that’s our last words, then I guess I’m OK with that," Marlow Levy said. "I think she knows that I love her. I think she knows that we are very proud of her, and so I just hope that she’s OK.”
Family members said they plan to lay Aisha Levy to rest next week in Tampa. Her father said nothing will ever dim the light she shined on the world.