A man in his 20s was found dead inside a parked car on Stafford Road in Northwest Jacksonville on Sunday afternoon, prompting the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to open a homicide investigation. The victim had not been identified as of Sunday evening, and no suspect had been named.
Jacksonville Fire and Rescue notified JSO at approximately 1:45 p.m. that an adult male had been found deceased in front of a residence in the 1700 block of Stafford Road, according to News4JAX. The victim was described as a man in his 20s who was sitting inside a vehicle parked in front of the home when he was discovered.
Detectives from JSO's Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Unit responded to process the scene, the station's report states. Investigators said they do not yet know the circumstances of the incident or the deceased man's relationship to the residence where the car was parked.
The homicide investigation sits within a unit with a broad mandate: JSO’s 2024 annual report said its Homicide Unit was staffed by one lieutenant, seven sergeants and 28 detectives, and tasked with investigating all unnatural deaths in Duval County. The report also said the city recorded 59 murders in 2024, down from 128 in 2023, though those figures were reported at that time and can differ from later agency data. JSO’s annual report provides that staffing and historical context.
Neighbors Describe a Street Suddenly Cordoned Off
A neighbor said police blocked off and roped off the street as the investigation unfolded, per the same account. Residents near the scene said the area is not known for this kind of crime, reflecting the shock of a quiet residential block turning into an active homicide scene.
The manner of death remained pending coordination with the Medical Examiner's Office, and JSO had not released information identifying a suspect. The sheriff's office described the incident as appearing to be isolated, though the investigation was still active as of Sunday evening.
The pending manner-of-death finding is part of a separate medical investigation from the sheriff’s homicide probe. Florida law directs the district medical examiner to determine the cause of death in cases including suspected criminal violence, sudden deaths in apparently good health and deaths in suspicious circumstances; the examiner may order examinations, autopsies or laboratory tests to establish identity, cause or manner of death. Florida’s medical-examiner statute sets out that authority.
What Happens Next
With the victim unidentified and no suspect named, the case remains in its early stages. JSO's Homicide Unit is continuing to work the scene, and further details are expected to emerge as the investigation progresses.
The case comes amid a change in Jacksonville’s recent murder totals. JSO’s published homicide data table lists 78 murders in 2025, compared with 63 in 2024. The agency cautions that its table is not intended as official crime data and may be updated as investigations progress, so the figures provide context rather than a final count. JSO’s homicide data page also shows how the agency categorizes murders separately from manslaughter and justifiable homicide.
