JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly 28 years after the body of a 31-year-old Jacksonville mother was found inside an apartment, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said it has arrested the the man accused of killing her.
Sheriff T.K. Waters said Tuesday that Jerry Philips, 69, has been accused of second-degree murder and sexual battery in the death of Valerie Ames.
Waters said Philips’ arrest was the result of both dogged investigative work and advancements in technology but did not elaborate. Waters said the murder was not random, but he would not give any details as to how Ames and Philips knew each other.
On Aug. 10, 1996, Ames was found stabbed and beaten to death in a King Street apartment.
“Philips’ arrest stands as a shining symbol of our agency’s commitment to methodically working with our law enforcement partners to seek justice for victims, no matter how long achieving that justice takes,” Waters said.
Ames was the mother of two young daughters, ages 5 and 9 at the time of their mother’s murder. The two girls and their grandmother were in England when they received the phone call informing them of Ames’ death.
One of Ames’ daughters, Michelle James, spoke Tuesday following the announcement of the arrest.
“Holidays, birthdays, graduations, weddings, the birth of her six grandchildren all passed without her,” James said through tears. “Those long years have done nothing to numb the pain of her nonexistence. Her pain and her torture have all become our pain and torture daily. Standing here today almost 28 years later, we now have some answers on our beautiful mother Valerie and she has finally reached her chance to have justice.”
James thanked Project Cold Case for finally giving her family the name of the “monster” who is accused of taking her mother’s life.
“May our mom finally rest in peace,” James said.
Philips was arrested in North Carolina last week and has yet to be indicted.
“Television shows have us conditioned to believe that homicide cases that are not solved within the first 48 hours will not be solved,” Waters said. “And that’s patently false.”
