{"id":370998,"date":"2026-08-14T03:40:40","date_gmt":"2026-08-14T03:40:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/370998\/"},"modified":"2026-08-14T03:40:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T03:40:40","slug":"it-would-mean-the-world-to-me-family-of-18-year-old-homicide-victim-seeking-justice-a-year-after-his-death","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/370998\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018It would mean the world to me\u2019: Family of 18-year-old homicide victim seeking justice a year after his death"},"content":{"rendered":"

GADSDEN COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV) – Money is now being offered for information in the 2025 death of an 18-year-old<\/a>, which the Gadsden County Sheriff\u2019s Office is now calling a homicide. <\/p>\n

Crime Solvers is now offering up to $5,000 for information on the death of Patrick Kelly Jr.<\/p>\n

His family says they want people to remember him as a loving, spiritual and resilient man who cared about his family and others.<\/p>\n

Kelly\u2019s family says words can\u2019t explain how difficult this past year has been for them and hopes this reward will help them finally get justice and closure. <\/p>\n

\u201cNo mother should have to go through what I\u2019m going through,\u201d Crystal McMullen, Kelly\u2019s mother, said. \u201cSo, it would mean the world to me and my family if we got justice.\u201d<\/p>\n

GCSO said Kelly was found dead after being reported missing last year in Tallahassee.<\/p>\n

TPD reported him missing on April 7, 2025. They said he had last been seen two days before in the Jackson Bluff Road area.<\/p>\n

About a week later, GCSO said his body was found at the Ochlocknee River boat ramp in Midway.<\/p>\n

Initially, TPD said they suspected no foul play. However, the sheriff\u2019s office now says his death is considered a homicide.<\/p>\n

Kelly\u2019s grandmother, Alice Lewis Kelly, shared how difficult this has been for their family.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my mind, the tragedy of his life being lost in a situation where he was not a swimmer, he wasn\u2019t a person that was in trouble with anything, and he was getting ready to graduate from school, and he ended up in a river on Palm Sunday,\u201d Alice said. \u201cSo, three days his body was in the water. And it came up out the water. So, in my mind I was thinking about the birth of Jesus Christ and about the life of Jesus Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n

WCTV has reached out to the Gadsden County Sheriff\u2019s Office asking why they now believe this is a homicide. They declined to share more details, citing their active investigation. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt would be the will of God, it would be a great thing to have closure to this situation because this is a tragedy,\u201d Alice said. \u201cNo one was planning and would never thought it would happen to our family but someone, as far as the life of him being him as young as he is, 18 years of age, it\u2019s just been devastating for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Those with information are asked to contact Crime Solvers at 850-574-TIPS.<\/p>\n

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Copyright 2026 WCTV. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n