Jacksonville Cold Case: Family seeking answers in two teenagers murdered during sleepover
It’s been more than a decade since the tragic death of two teenage girls, murdered during a slumber party.
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Jazmine Shelton, 13, and Megan Simmons, 14, were inseparable the summer of 2013. Both girls had big plans for their future.
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“Her [Megan’s] school work, she wanted to go to Georgia for college and study to be a veterinarian. She had all these plans and they were cut short,” Karen Simmons, Megan’s grandmother, said.
The girls were having a sleepover at Jazmine’s mother’s Northwest Jacksonville home. Just after 4:30 in the morning, someone reportedly banged on the door and began shooting. Crime scene photos show the suspect riddled the trailer with bullets.
Jazmine’s mother, her mom’s boyfriend, and a family member were home and unharmed. Jazmine was killed instantly and Megan died four days later, according to investigators.
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“It was very horrific. Out of all the things we see as a homicide detective on a daily basis, anytime you respond to scene and there’s a child-- not only a child-- two children that we know are innocent and have nothing to do with what’s going on,” Detective Travis Oliver said.
He was on scene back in 2013 and is overseeing the case now. Oliver said the case could be tied to a stabbing that happened a few hours earlier.
“We learned that a known person had been stabbed multiple times and he was at a local hospital being treated,” Oliver said. “The investigation then led us to the possibility of one of the occupants of the trailer being involved in that stabbing some capacity.”
But, Oliver couldn’t say specifically who. However, police do not believe the girls were the intended target.
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For Simmons, she just wants some closure.
“I hope that they solve this. That they find out who did it,” Simmons said. “It’s not gonna bring Megan back, but it’ll give me a little peace knowing who did it.”
If you know anything, contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office 904-630-0500. To be eligible for a cash reward call and remain anonymous, call First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
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