'10,098 days': Cold no more, arrest made in 1996 slaying of young Jacksonville mother

A nearly three decades-long cold case involving the sexual assault stabbing death of a young Jacksonville mother has led to the arrest of a 69-year-old man in North Carolina.

Tuesday the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Jerry Philips as part of its reinvestigation into the case of 31-year-old Valerie Ames in a vacant King Street apartment on Aug. 10, 1996.

Sheriff T.K. Waters said he can’t share much information in the case and what led to a suspect because it’s now in the hands of prosecutors, but he said it was not random or a stranger situation.

He said it's also part of multiple agencies' ongoing efforts to solve such cases.

What did Valerie  Ames’ family have to say?

Two of Ames’ daughters were on hand at Tuesday's news briefing. They were 5 and 9 at the time but with their grandmother when the attack happened.

“That’s 10,098 days” their family has suffered, daughter Michelle James said. “We now have some answers on our beautiful mother, Valerie. And she has finally reached her chance to have justice. Her voice can finally be heard.”

Ryan Backmann, founder of the Jacksonville-based advocacy nonprofit Project: Cold Case, also read a statement from Ames’ mother, June Lucas.

“Although this has opened wounds, brought back sadness, tears and anger, we are so relieved this will soon be over,” she said, noting had Valerie lived she would have six grandchildren.

What happened to Valerie Ames?

Ames was found in a unit of the Riverside-area Courtyard Apartments at 1606 King St. that was supposed to be vacant due to the arrests of the man and woman who lived there. The man’s daughter went to check on the apartment and found the door unlocked and an unfamiliar woman dead in a pool of blood.

The arrested man also said he and his family did not know her once they found out about Ames’ death but that she looked familiar, according to Project: Cold Case.

Ames also lived and worked in Arlington and did not have a car, so it was unclear how she ended up at the apartment. One of her daughters also in the last few years told Project: Cold Case that Ames contacted authorities three months earlier to report she had been assaulted by a police officer. Nothing came of it though.

James also said some people told them her mother was pregnant, but nothing indicated that in the case file. In addition, a woman supposedly contacted police informing them she had information in the case and would make a deal with them. Not too long after that, she was found dead, according to the story on the Project: Cold Case website.

What is the perception about cold cases?

“I personally know how both heart-wrenching these cases are and how difficult they can be to solve,” Waters said. “Television shows have us conditioned to believe that homicide cases that are not solved within the first 48 hours will never be solved, and that’s patently false. Homicide investigations are complex, forensic analysis can take longer than normal and a long time to complete, and the technology surrounding these investigations continues to advance and evolve.”

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He said they can take months or years, and “I can tell you from personal experiences, homicide detectives do not forget their investigations.”

State Attorney Melissa Nelson reiterated the joint effort with the Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Project: Cold Case.

“While the public may not know every single day what we’re doing, we are working these cases,” Nelson said.

What is Project: Cold Case?

Backmann came up with Project: Cold Case after his father, Cliff Backmann, was gunned down during an Oct. 10, 2009, robbery in Jacksonville. After learning the Sheriff's Office had hundreds of unsolved homicides and that thousands of family members never get closure, he launched the nonprofit in 2015 creating a database that can be searched by anyone who may be able to provide that final tip to police that can help solve a homicide. Now his website has gained national prominence.

What is the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office's Cold Case Spotlight?

Last year the Sheriff's Office also launched a new campaign on its social media channels called "Cold Case Spotlight." It features killings that the Sheriff's Office have classified as a cold case. "The hope is that this will lead to the identity of a suspect(s) and in turn help bring some closure to those impacted by these senseless crimes," according to the website.

Anyone with information on any homicide or crime can contact the Sheriff’s Office at (904) 630-0500 or First Coast Crime Stoppers at (866) 845-8477 (845-TIPS) or text **8477 to remain anonymous and be eligible for rewards. Or email JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org or rewards@fccrimestoppers.com.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Cold case arrest made in 1996 slaying of young Jacksonville mother