Body of missing Jacksonville woman found in trunk of boyfriend’s rental car, JSO says

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A police report sheds light on new details in the case of a missing Jacksonville woman, which has now turned into a murder investigation.

Police announced the arrest of Pierre Pinard, 53, who’s being held without bond. According to the police report, the victim and suspect were in an “intimate” relationship.

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Pinard and the victim, Rosemene Decius, lived in a house together off Baymeadows Road. The 46-year-old was reported missing Friday by her daughter after she hadn’t heard from her mother and she did not show up to work.

Police said Decius’ boyfriend was on his way to New Jersey when he got the call she was missing.

“Mr. Pinard did not express any concern that the victim was missing over the phone,” the police report said.

When he returned, he allowed police to search the home. Officers with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said there was a pool of blood on the bed in the master bedroom.

According to the report, Pinard was seen leaving the house several times Friday. At one point Decius’ car, a BMW SUV, left the home but never returned. Pinard returned home late Friday night in a different car from the one he had been driving all day, police said.

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“Over the years it has gone up and down as it relates to domestic violence homicides. But one homicide is too many,” Karen Williams, the director of outreach services for Hubbard House, said.

The organization’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Report from 2021 showed 18 victims were murdered in domestic violence cases in Duval. 65% of those cases involved an intimate partner.

According to a police report, Decius and Pinard were in an “intimate” relationship.

Williams said it’s important to look for warning signs like isolation, emotional abuse, and threats. “I always recommend saying ‘I’m a safe person you can talk to’,” she said.

Hubbard House offers free resources. You can call their hotline at (904) 354-3114 or anyone outside Duval can call 1-800-500-1119.

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