Nine months after 36-year-old Robert Velleca was pulled from the Ortega River, his family says they are still waiting for answers. His mother, Margaret Mallory, calls the loss "an empty hole" and says every holiday since his death has felt like something vital is missing.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, the agency's Marine Unit responded to the Ortega River on Sept. 20, 2025, after a fisherman reported finding a body. Detectives later identified the victim as Velleca, and the medical examiner ruled his death a homicide, per the Sheriff's Office release. News4Jax reported at the time that investigators said evidence was scarce early in the probe, leaving what happened a mystery.
Mother Says He Was Beaten Before His Death
Mallory told Action News Jax that her son had been badly beaten months before he died. She said those injuries, including broken bones and hands bound with zip ties, were part of the trauma she believes led to his death.
"It's been terrible; it's been just an empty hole," Mallory told the station, urging anyone who knows something, however small, to come forward and help the family find justice.
Investigators: Case Remains Active but No New Leads
In a response to reporters, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office told Action News Jax that "this continues to be an active case with detectives working to identify a potential suspect(s)," and that there is currently no new information to release.
The Sheriff's Office first asked the public for help in October 2025 after recovering Velleca's body from the river, but so far there have been no announced arrests.
How to Share Tips
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or email [email protected], according to the agency's release available from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. To remain anonymous, callers can reach First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS. Detectives say even a small detail, or a memory of the last time someone saw Velleca, could help move the investigation forward.
For now, Mallory and the rest of the family are left with unanswered questions and a hope that someone in the community will finally come forward. They continue to press for information and remind neighbors that investigators are still listening.
