Cold Cases

If you have any information on the Cold Cases below, please call us at (352) 367-4161. We need the public's help to solve these crimes.

Wende Ellinger

DOB: 08-22-70
Race/Sex: White Female
Incident Date: 03-18-05

Circumstances: On 03-18-05, at approximately midnight, the body of Wende Ellinger was found in a fire at her residence at 10207 SW 84 Ave, Gainesville (Kanapaha Highlands). Wende was last seen alive at approximately 10:30 PM, 03-17-05, in her residence. The investigation revealed that she sustained other injuries prior to the fire and it was ruled a homicide. Wende Ellinger was the mother of three small children who were not home at the time.

ACSO Case # 05-3214

Wayne Hutchinson

Nickname: “Frog”
DOB: 08-08-58
Race/Sex: Black Male
Incident Date: 10-11-03

Circumstances: On 10-13-03, at approximately 1:00 PM, the body of Wayne Hutchinson was found lying next to a storage container at 6419 SE 215 St., Hawthorne. The investigation was ruled a homicide. Wayne Hutchinson sustained multiple injuries which including being stabbed. Wayne Hutchinson was a life long resident of Hawthorne.

ACSO # 03-11819

Baby Jane Doe

Incident Date: 08-20-03
Age: 2 weeks to 5 months
Race: unable to determine
Sex: Female

Circumstances: Alachua County resident discovered the body of a female baby floating in a private pond. The pond where Baby Jane was discovered is located at the end of NW 102nd Place just 3 miles north of the Highway Patrol Station. NW 102nd Place is a dirt road that runs east off of State Road 121, and after a half a mile it dead ends into private property.

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Michael Shane Crutchfield

Incident Date: 05-13-99
DOB: 06-14-75
Race/Sex: White Male

Circumstances: On Thursday, 05-13-99, at approximately 2300 hours, Michael Shane Crutchfield, was shot in the doorway of his apartment. The apartment is located in the Hickory Hills Apartments at 4023 SW 16th Lane, Apt. A, Gainesville, FL., 32607. Alachua County Sheriff's Office is looking for a light colored sedan that was seen leaving the area with at least one unknown male suspect. The investigation revealed MICHAEL SHANE CRUTCHFIELD'S death was the result of a homicide. ACSO Case # 99-06101

Jose Rodriguez

Incident Date: 05-29-98
DOB: 10-08-08
Race/Sex: Hispanic Male

Circumstances: On 05-29-98 JOSE RODRIGUEZ walked away from his residence at 319 NW 5th St., in an unknown direction. RODRIGUEZ was last seen at approximately 1730 hours, on NE 39th Avenue between NE 15th Street and Waldo Road, walking eastbound towards Waldo Road.

At 2147 hours, on 05-29-98, RODRIGUEZ'S nude body was found in the shallow waters of Newnan's Lake at the 6000 block of Lake Shore Drive, Gainesville, FL. Investigation revealed RODRIGUEZ died as a result of blunt trauma injuries. Investigation revealed RODRIGUEZ'S death was the result of a homicide.

ACSO Case # 98-10943

Beverly Springer

Incident Date: 12-23-97
DOB: 09-18-59
Race/Sex: Black Female

Circumstances: Found deceased in the 11000 block of North CR225, approximately one mile north of the Gainesville Raceway. She was found partially clothed along the west side of of the roadway. Investigation revealed SPRINGER suffered trauma to the upper torso. Investigation revealed SPRINGER'S death was the result of a homicide.

ACSO Case # 97-15422

Sharon Roberts

Incident Date: 12-16-95
From: Gainesville, Florida
DOB: DOB 08-25-95
Race/Sex: White Female

Circumstances: On 12-16-95 victim was taken to Shands ER by ambulance. Victim died later this date from "Shaken Baby Syndrome".

ACSO Case # 95-13175

James McGowan

Incident Date: 12-31-94
DOB: 08-23-69
Race/Sex: Black Male

Circumstances: Shot on 12-31-94 on the street in front of his residence, 1415 SW 42nd Street.

ACSO Case # 94-23939

Robert Howard

Incident Date: 04-18-94
DOB: 03-10-68

Circumstances: Found 04-18-94 after being reported missing on 08-05-92. Victim was found in a wooded area off Archer Road and SW 170th Street. Last seen 08-92 in Arredondo Farms.

ACSO Case # 94-13973 and 92-21097

Gary Flannigan

Incident Date: 12-29-93
DOB: 06-18-48
Race/Sex: White Male

Circumstances: Found 12-29-93 at SR24 and NE 69th Avenue in the wooded area. Victim arrived in Gainesville Airport on 12-22-93, at 7:10 p.m. Victim was a resident of Nashville, TN. He was an ex-resident of Gainesville and still had a brother who lived here.

ACSO Case #93-66895

Miguel Pineda

Incident Date:11-04-91
DOB: 08-08-60
Race/Sex: White Male

Circumstances: Found 11-04-91 outside the front door of Pizza King. Cause of death shot during a robbery.

ACSO CR # 11421-91

Betty Jean Covington

Missing: 10-14-90
DOB: 04-20-54
Race/Sex: Black Female

Circumstances: Found 10-14-90 in the wooded area in Monteocha. COVINGTON was last seen in Starke, FL.

ACSO Case # 10852-90

Eileen Jones

Missing: 1-13-90
From: Gainesville, Florida
DOB: 11-19-22
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Race/Sex: White Female

Circumstances: Found 01-17-90 in her mobile home at Windmeadows Mobile Home Park

ACSO Case #00467-90

Gerald Davis

Incident Date: 02-05-85
DOB: 08-02-56
Race/Sex: Black Male

Circumstances: Found 02-05-85 on 329B (Newnans Lake Road) shot to death.

ACSO Case # 02746-85

Catherine Rochelled

Incident Date: 6-17-82
DOB: 11-02-32
Race/Sex: Black Female

Circumstances: Found 06-17-82 in her home at 3414 SE 16th Avenue. Killed by an intruder.

ACSO Case # 13983-82

Cecil Shealy

Incident Date: 05-20-80
DOB: 07-16-05
Race/Sex: White Male

Circumstances: Found 05-20-80 in a field off CR241, north of Alachua. Last seen leaving his car with a B/F, walking towards the field where body was found.

ACSO Case # 08861-80

Ernestine Boston

Incident Date: 10-27-75
DOB:08-09-59
Race/Sex: Black Female

Circumstances: Found 10-27-75 in a ditch on NE 53rd Avenue, near the City water plant. Cause of Death undetermined.

ACSO Case # G-64661

Junior Burley Barnett

Incident Date: 09-20-74
DOB: 07-04-39
Race/Sex: White Male

Circumstances: Found on 09-20-74 in his car at the southbound rest area on I-75. Cause of death, severe blow to the head.

ACSO Case # G-45638.

Betty Ann New

Incident Date: 09-06-74
DOB: 01-29-57
Race/Sex: White Female

Circumstances: Found 09-06-74 in a field near Lake Burnett in Alachua County. Cause of death, knife wounds.

ACSO Case # 44984

Edwin Dusek

Incident Date: 07-06-73
DOB: 05-04-28
Race/Sex: White Male

Circumstances: Found 07-06-73 on a dirt road off Millhopper Road, shot to death.

ACSO Case # G-27711

Pearl Bartley

Incident Date: 10-27-69
DOB: 04-18-1898
Race/Sex: White Female

Circumstances: Found 10-27-69 in a country store south of Paynes Prairie, strangled to death

ACSO Case #3895

Rita Melton

Rita Melton

Incident Date: 08-28-88
DOB: 06-18-56
Race/Sex: White Female

On 8-28-88, the body of 32 year old Rita Melton was discovered in the woods by a citizen approximately 11/2 miles north of Orange Heights. Melton's blue and white Ford F100 pickup truck was located nearby. The body had been in the woods for several days. Her death has been determined to be a homicide.

ACSO Case# 88-09026

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Contacts Phone #
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Staff Attorney 367-4024
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