The Clay County Sheriff's Office announced on Friday that human remains found in the St. Johns River near Fleming Island have been identified as belonging to a 24-year-old man from Atlanta, confirmed by News4Jax. The decedent is Nicholas Lamont Anderson, whose skeletal remains were discovered on May 7 by a homeowner near the bulkhead of their property.
After finding the remains, the homeowner reported the discovery by placing a 911 call, prompting CCSO to dispatch detectives and a dive team to the site along the 3200 block of U.S. 17, which is close to Doctors Lake Bridge. The homeowner discovered the remains around 5:07 p.m., as detailed by a statement acquired by First Coast News. The circumstances surrounding Anderson's death remain unclear, and the CCSO continues to probe the series of events leading up to the discovery, including who he may have interacted with, and his precise movements from April 1 to April 7.
Anderson was reportedly vacationing in Jacksonville according to a missing person report cited by WOKV. His family had informed authorities that Anderson was supposed to check out of the Baymont Inn on Blanding Boulevard on April 7 but never appeared at the front desk and left behind all his belongings, including his phones. A man whom Anderson had met during his stay claimed that Anderson was planning to depart on a Greyhound bus the following day.
In a bid to unearth further details concerning this case, Clay County Sheriff's Office is urging the public to come forward with any information regarding Anderson's last known whereabouts or activities. A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for tips that lead to an arrest or significant progress in the investigation. Information can be relayed to CCSO at 904-264-6512, or anonymously through the SaferWatch app, as per the details released by News4Jax.
