JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A former Jacksonville police detective who investigated a high-profile racially motivated killing in 1964 was recognized Wednesday in a virtual Historical Impact Celebration. Sheriff Mike Williams, Mayor Lenny Curry and U.S. Rep. John Rutherford shared kind words for the veteran and former detective, who investigated the murder of Johnnie Mae Chappell. RELATED: 2014 - 50 years later, racial killing haunts familyIn a dark time for the River City, Chappell was gunned down on March 23, 1964, because of the color of her skin. We lived in a racist city and a racist town run by racist people,” Cody said. The overview says, “two police detectives solved one of our nation’s worst hate crimes and paid for it with their careers.”