JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The mother of Louis Nix III, the Raines High School football standout who went on to play in the NFL, said she met with detectives Monday following the death of her son.
Nix, 29, was reported missing to police on Wednesday. On Saturday, his family confirmed to News4Jax that he died. Monday afternoon, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office also confirmed his body was located.
His mother, Stephanie Wingfield, says Nix’s car was found in a pond near the River City Marketplace. She said that detectives told her the passenger window was open when the car was pulled from the water and that the seatbelt wasn’t buckled. Wingfield said the car was found upside down underwater.
According to Wingfield, her son’s body was found not far from where the car was towed out of the pond.
News4Jax crime and safety expert Ken Jefferson pointed out there were no skid marks at the scene, and that there were only marks where the car was towed out of the water.
“They’re gonna go through the car from top to bottom, head to toe looking for every piece of evidence they can,” Jefferson said.
On Monday, News4Jax spoke with Ketarah Reed, his girlfriend. Reed said she and Nix met up Tuesday around 2:30 p.m. to talk at a park.
“Just expressing how much we loved each other and cared for each other,” Reed said. “We went and got food went back to the park and that was pretty much the last time I saw him.”
After they met, Reed said they went separate ways. She went to be with a close friend, and Nix did the same.
“I had texted him saying, ‘Are you gone?’ And he said, ‘No I’m not. Still with my friend. When he drops me off at my car, I’ll be on my way,’” Reed said.
Reed said she waited outside of her apartment for Nix.
“He texted me ‘are you home’ at 7:54 (p.m.),” Reed said. “He Facetimed me again at 7:57 (p.m.) and said, ‘I don’t want any beef with you. Just reiterating the love.’”
Shortly after Reed hung up with Nix, she said he sent her a text saying he almost crashed on Maritn Luther King Jr. Parkway --15 minutes from her apartment.
“8:19 (p.m.) came and I remember texting him you good? And he didn’t text me back,” Reed said.
Reed said she has memories of Nix that she’ll hold on to forever.
“He’s never gone,” she said. “He’s always here with me.”