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18-year-old mystery: Sister still advocating for her brother’s unsolved murder after his case went cold

Joe Denard Harrell (Jacksonville Sheriff's Office)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Joe Denard Harrell was 25 years old when he was shot and killed in the Brentwood neighborhood in 2006. Now, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is putting his story in the limelight in hopes of getting answers in an 18-year-old case that has gone cold.

Harrell’s sister, Detective Michelle Harrell works with JSO’s crime scene unit.

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She remembered her brother, who was a medical technician at UF Health, as a determined and creative hard worker.

COLD CASE SPOTLIGHT

“I was very close with my brother and my other siblings as well. We’re a close-knit family. He made my childhood exciting and fun,” Harrell said.

Harrell is speaking out because she wants answers for her brother’s death.

Joe was found shot on January 21, 2006, in the driveway of a home on Silver Street. Police said the medical examiner determined he died from several gunshot wounds and blunt force trauma. His case was ruled a homicide but eventually went cold after leads were exhausted from receiving a mixture of information from neighbors and no suspect information was available.

“I want his case solved. It’s something that he deserves,” she said. “My family and I want to continue to advocate for him and get the word out and let those that were involved or even know anything about it that we’re still here.”

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JSO is encouraging anyone with information to come forward.

“Even if it’s just a small piece of evidence or something that they may view as very minute, that could be the piece we need to complete the puzzle,” Detective Latosha Thompson said.

If you have information, call JSO at 904-630-0500 or email JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org, or call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS to remain anonymous.

Watch JSO’s full video below:


About the Author
Kendra Mazeke headshot

Proud alumnus of Bethune-Cookman University.

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