A quiet stretch of Old A1A turned into an active crime scene Friday evening after deputies discovered a body along the rocks near Gene Johnson Road in St. Johns County. The roadway was quickly shut down as investigators launched a death investigation and called in the medical examiner to determine what happened.
According to News4JAX, the body was located just before 7 p.m., and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit is now leading the case. Old A1A is closed in the immediate area while detectives comb the scene for evidence and the medical examiner examines the remains.
How to help and what to expect
Investigators are asking anyone who may have seen something unusual in the area to call the sheriff’s office non-emergency line at 904-824-8304. Tips can also be submitted through the online portal on the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office website.
Drivers should plan for closures and possible detours along Old A1A near Gene Johnson Road while the scene remains active. For now, that coastal cut-through is more crime scene than scenic drive.
Why the location matters
Old A1A runs along a fragile barrier peninsula, and the stretch near Summer Haven has seen heavy attention in recent years as the county tries to keep the roadway from washing away. That restoration work, completed in 2025, rebuilt the road and repaired rock revetments designed to protect the shoreline, according to St. Johns County. Those same rocks now sit at the center of a very different kind of response, drawing patrols and investigators instead of just road crews.
Investigation remains active
The sheriff’s office has released few additional details as detectives continue to process the area and interview potential witnesses. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities say more information will be shared as it becomes available. News4JAX first reported the discovery.
