ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a double homicide in West Augustine. The shooting happened on Mon., Nov. 27 on Orange Street near an elementary school.
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The families of both men killed are heartbroken and they want answers. Investigators are still looking for the suspects who shot the two men inside their car.
A neighbor said he’s heard gunshots before, but not this close to home.
“I heard a few shootings on King Street but like not so close,” Fabian Taylor said. “You know? It’s just, I don’t know. You never know. It could happen anywhere, anytime.”
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Monday around 11:30 p.m., St. Johns County deputies responded to North Orange Street in West Augustine after reports of gunshots. While the shooting happened near a school, the sheriff’s office said this appears to be an isolated incident.
Deputies found a vehicle crashed into a fence with two men inside that were shot multiple times. They were later pronounced dead.
They’ve been identified as 21-year-old Cody Bennett and 22-year-old Tre Lyons.
Action News Jax spoke with the families of both victims, and they are devastated.
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Bennett’s family said while he’d been in trouble before, he was working on getting his life straight. He was set to graduate from HVAC school in February.
Court records show Bennett was found guilty of aggravated assault for shooting at someone in his neighborhood. He was also facing drug charges for selling meth.
Lyon’s family said Tre has three kids; the oldest was only two years old.
One of his family members sent a statement that said, “He was loved by everyone he came in contact with! His kids were his WORLD! Very determined, ambitious, and humble!”
Now they want answers.
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“It’s sad to see that kid’s gonna grow up without a dad now,” Taylor said. “That’s really like a shame, just because someone wanted to be violent.”
Taylor said he knew Lyons from the neighborhood.
“I never would have expected that he’d be taken so soon,” Taylor said. “But, you know, it really could have been anyone.”
The families said they haven’t been able to reclaim the bodies because the homicides are still an active investigation.
SJSO is asking anyone with information to contact them at 904-824-8304 or call Crime Stoppers at 888-277-TIPS (8477).
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