JACKSONVILLE, N.C.- (WNCT) Jacksonville Police and the FBI Charlotte Field Office are still seeking any information involving the murder of Jenna Franks in 2021.
The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to those responsible for the trans woman’s death five years ago where her body was found along Ellis Blvd. and White St.
Franks’s sister Jessica Wilson says she lost her best friend that day.
“Weeks before she come up missing and stuff, she called me and told me, ‘if anything ever happens to me, Jessie, just know that I didn’t commit suicide and I didn’t overdose,’” Wilson said.
Wilson said Franks moved to Jacksonville with her in 2018 so she could live her life more openly.
“That was my sibling. I didn’t care if she wanted to be a trans woman or a man or whatever,” Wilson said. “I tried to show as much support as possible.”
Jacksonville Police Chief Jarad Phelps says they are still investigating the case five years later.
“We’ve exhausted all leads that we have at this time,” Phelps said. “When we have anniversaries like this, stories like this, it’s always good to put it back fresh in people’s minds, because this is a very transient community.”
Phelps describes the lapse in time as a double edge sword.
“The longer it takes, the less leads that we have for that, but it also gives technology more opportunity to advance so that we can hopefully submit something else that will come back and give us a different type of perspective on it or different lead on this,” Phelps said.
Wilson says she feels hopeless.
“I feel like if Jenna was not gay or Jenna had the perfect life that they would be on top of it and doing more,” Wilson said.
Information related to the case be given to the FBI at 704-672-6100 or Crime Stoppers at 910-938-3273
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