JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A woman was found dead early Saturday morning after her husband, who told police he had been kidnapped, robbed and then released, reported her missing, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Homicide detectives said that after a search of the Hillcrest neighborhood on the city’s Westside, the woman, who was identified by family and friends as 30-year-old Amber Gaddis, was found dead at a neighbor’s home.
According to the Sheriff’s Office, police were called about 12:30 a.m. to Kingsbury Street near Cassat Avenue. Police said they found a man who told them he had been kidnapped, robbed by three unknown men in a dark-colored vehicle and then dropped off in the area where he lived. According to the Sheriff’s Office, the man said he found his wife was missing when he got back home and called police.
Officers responded and began to search for the man’s wife. Police said she was found dead at a neighbor’s home. They said she had suffered injuries but didn’t say how she died. Neighbors said they heard three gunshots.
Albert Ives, Gaddis’ friend and roommate, told News4Jax that he was hanging out at home with her, ran to the store, and when he came back, he found the TV in the middle of the road and the door wide open.
“Amber’s not here. She’s not here. We got to find her,” Ives recounted.
Ives said he, Gaddis’ husband, other family members and friends were taken in for questioning. He said he thinks he knows who did this and told police. He added that the group was released about 8 a.m. and then returned home.
Homicide detectives confirmed they were interviewing multiple people, including family members and neighbors. Detectives said they were also looking for surveillance video and canvassing the area.
Ives described Gaddis as his life-long friend and a mother of four who grew up in Jacksonville. He said he now wants justice.
“She was a good person. She had a great heart, always helped anybody that needed help, didn’t have any enemies,” he said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).