Jacksonville residents are on edge after the bodies of three women turned up over just three days, fueling widespread talk of a serial killer stalking the streets. The discoveries began last week, with each case hitting close to home in different parts of the city.
Cherrish Nunley, a 24-year-old mother of two, was found shot dead in a parking lot near the 3800 block of Sunbeam Road on November 15. Family members set up a GoFundMe page, calling her “a bright, beautiful girl” who was “killed in cold blood.”
Then came Tiffany Felton, another mother, discovered beneath a bridge on Blanding Boulevard. AJ Jordan, an outreach coordinator with the local group MAD DADS, described it as “an unnecessary killing,” adding, “Him or her left this lady under a bridge, under a bridge. It’s just, it’s just sad.”
The third woman was found unresponsive in a rooming house in the Phoenix neighborhood, though details remain sparse.
Word spread fast online, with some comparing the situation to infamous cases like Ted Bundy, who targeted young women in Florida back in the 1970s, or John Wayne Gacy in Illinois. Police initially downplayed those threats too, only for the truth to emerge later.
Social media posts from locals amplified the fears—one user claimed, “I think Jacksonville has a serial killer praying on these women. Y’all be safe,” while another warned of bodies “popping up” and referenced rumors of a killer active months ago. Some even suggested the count might be higher, up to five women in recent days, though official reports stick to three.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office pushed back hard against the speculation. In a social media post, they stated: “JSO is aware of rumors circulating about a serial killer on the loose in Jacksonville. We can confirm these claims are FALSE.” They added that detectives are handling each case separately, “following the facts and evidence,” and insisted “there is no danger to the public related to these incidents.” Local outlets like News4Jax and First Coast News echoed the denial, reporting no evidence links the deaths.
Still, in a city where trust in quick assurances can wear thin, many aren’t buying it outright. Past mishandlings of similar threats nationwide have left people wary—remember how authorities in Long Island dismissed early reports of bodies on Gilgo Beach for years before arresting Rex Heuermann in 2023? Here, with no arrests announced yet, questions linger about whether something bigger is at play, perhaps tied to broader crime trends or overlooked patterns.
For now, authorities urge anyone with tips to call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500 or First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS. Families grieve, communities stay vigilant, and the push for answers continues amid the unease.
