Barry ‘BJ’ Brooks, Jr. was killed during an attempted robbery at an apartment complex in Jacksonville’s Ortega neighborhood in 2007.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Investigators are still searching for the killers of a Jacksonville teen nearly two decades after his death.

Barry ‘BJ’ Brooks, Jr. was just 19 years old at the time. His family remembers him as a young man who was full of life. His cousin, Tylynn Larry, was nine years old when she spent her last day with BJ.



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“He spent the entire day with me, a 9-year-old. He took me everywhere. He bought me just about everything from every store he went to that day. He took me to McDonald’s like times times just that day. He just made my day special and he didn’t have to,” Larry explained.

BJ taught dance and art, and he loved music. He was also a swim coach. His father, Barry Brooks, Sr., is still grappling with the loss.

“I actually have his phone. And I have his voicemail, it’s my voicemail so I can hear his voice whenever I want,” Brooks said.

It was November 18, 2007. BJ had spent the day with his family. That night, he went to the Mission Springs Apartments off Timuquana Road, which is now called The Villas at Ortega. Cold Case Detective Travis Oliver, Sr. with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said BJ was there with his girlfriend to visit a friend.

“He went to the friend’s apartment originally and learned that the friend was at another building. As he was attempting to leave the apartment that he originally went to, to go where his friend was, he was approached by individuals in the complex that attempted to rob him,” Oliver explained.

BJ died at the hospital. There were no witnesses and no surveillance video of the shooting.

Oliver told First Coast News multiple detectives have now worked the case and tested what little evidence they do have with modern technology. He said the lack of evidence has made this case difficult to crack.

“At this point, I truly believe in my years of experience, it’s gonna take someone that knows something that’s gonna solve the case,” Oliver said.

Nineteen years later and the pain still feels fresh for BJ’s family.

“The pastor came and he was like, he’s in heaven now, but me being the father and being the protector, I wanted to be there to protect him. Even though he said he was in heaven, I wanted to be there. To make sure that he was all right. And I felt that he was there by himself and I should have been there with him,” Brooks said.

They are now praying someone finds it in their hearts to come forward and bring justice for BJ.

“Don’t wait until it’s your loved one to wanna say something. You know something, say something, and that’s for everybody, not just this case, all cases,” Brooks said.

If anyone knows anything that could help solve this case, contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office or First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS. They can remain anonymous and they could be eligible for a $5,000 reward.