JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A convicted killer was found shot to death early Tuesday morning in the parking lot of a hotel in the city's Baymeadows area, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.
Officers were called about 4 a.m. to the Days Inn hotel on Dix Ellis Trail, near Baymeadows Road and Interstate 95. They found the body of a man, later identified as Charles Quaintance III, 38, in the hotel's parking lot, according to the Sheriff's Office.
Quaintance pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Aug. 13, 2001, drug-related slaying of 22-year-old Kenyatte Sykes. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison and was released after serving time. He also had a history of drug arrests.
Police said it's unclear if Quaintance was a hotel guest or visitor.
Several people in the area told News4Jax that they are concerned for their safety after the deadly shooting. However, a hotel manager across the street from Days Inn said, with a police substation about a half-mile from the hotels, he actually feels like the crime has gone down.
"It's been safe here," said Barry Patel, manager at America's Best Inn. "So far, nobody has threatened us or anything like that."
According to the JSO crime-mapping tool, 27 crimes -- including assault, burglary and theft -- have been reported in the last month within a mile of the Days Inn.
"I hope the crime stops, but you can't trust anybody these days," Patel said.
Regardless, Patel said he feels like the crime has been on the decline in Baymeadows since he started managing the America's Best Inn two years ago.
He added that he hopes it stays away from his business.
No arrests have been made, and detectives continue to investigate the deadly shooting. Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.