JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville family is still looking for answers 25 years after a young man was found dead in Palatka, a year after he disappeared.
Vanissia Wilson’s 23-year-old son, Keith Cauley, disappeared on June 16, 2000. He was last seen alive in Northwest Jacksonville.
The following summer, on Aug. 23, 2001, Cauley’s remains were found in the woods of Putnam County.
RELATED | 22 years later: Family of Jacksonville murder victim still has hope
Twenty-five years later, there have been no arrests in connection with Cauley’s murder.
“I just want them to come forward, at least come tell me what happened. But we do want justice,” Wilson said.
Cauley’s mother said she hasn’t lost hope and wishes police would take a deeper look into the case to finally get the justice and peace that she’s been waiting on.
“Keith had just bought him a mobile home, and he was starting a business. He actually done some houses for people,” Wilson said. “Everything was looking good, had a great future. Now, it’s pure hell. Since the night they took him, it’s been hell.”
Wilson said she believes she knows who “they” are. It appears detectives all those years ago thought the same thing.
“We do have information about the individuals who may have been directly involved in that murder. And we also have information about people in the community who have information about the murder, but have yet to come forward,” JSO said in 2002.
Buried next to Cauley is his father, John Cauley. In a case of cruel irony, Wilson tells me he, too, was murdered in 1989.
“That’s unsolved, too. Nothing much at all went with that one. So once this happened with Keith, I’m like, I’m not going to let this go. They’re not going to not solve my son’s case, too,” Wilson said.
And for the person at home right now, who does know something, Wilson said, “You don’t have to turn yourself in. We just want to know what happened to him. We want to know who it was.”
News4JAX also had a chance to meet Keith Cauley’s 90-year-old grandmother. Wilson tells me it’s her hope that they can get answers as to who killed Cauley while she’s still here with us.
If you have any information on this case, please contact JSO at 904-630-0500. You can also contact the family at 904-955-9606.
