Jonah Golden

Jonah Marcel Golden, a bright and kind-hearted 19-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, was remembered by friends as the best person they had ever known. Known to some as "Bugz," Jonah was a smart and brilliant young man who was always there for his friends, whether it was helping them with a test or simply offering support. His loved ones recalled a selfless and humorous person who was deeply loved by everyone who knew him.

On the night of Friday, April 22, 2016, Jonah attended a house party in the Ortega Farms neighborhood on Liska Drive. The gathering was initially planned for 25 to 30 people, but the crowd swelled as uninvited guests continued to arrive. Neighbors grew concerned about the noise and cars blocking driveways, calling the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office three times between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m. to complain. Despite the calls, the party was not broken up. As the night wore on, the tenants who threw the party tried to regain control but were unsuccessful. Fights began to break out among the estimated 40 to 50 attendees. Around 2:30 a.m. on April 23, the violence escalated to gunfire. Jonah was shot in the front yard of the home and died at the scene. An 18-year-old man was also shot but survived his injuries. Hours before his death, Jonah had written a message on his Facebook page that seemed to foreshadow the tragedy: "If today (is) my last day Jus Make Sure I Come Home to You Lord."

When officers from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office arrived after the shooting, they found a chaotic scene and recovered several guns. The home itself was riddled with bullet holes, with some slugs piercing the front door and lodging in interior walls. The investigation was immediately hampered by a lack of cooperation from witnesses. Many people who were at the party were unwilling to speak with detectives, leaving Jonah’s family and investigators searching for answers. AJ Jordan of the Jacksonville chapter of MAD DADS expressed frustration, noting the difficulty officers face in getting information in such cases.

In the course of their investigation, police publicly identified a person of interest they believed had crucial information about the shooting: Kyon Wilkes. Detectives sought to question him about the events that transpired at the party. However, what came of that lead, if anything, has not been publicly released, and no arrests have ever been announced in connection with Jonah's murder.

In the years since his death, Jonah’s family has never stopped fighting for justice. His mother, Rebecca Harp, has made repeated public pleas for anyone with information to come forward. "I really just need one person to talk and to tell what happened to him," she said a year after his death. "One person can crack the case wide open for us." The family, with the help of Crime Stoppers, offered a reward that grew to $8,000 for information leading to an arrest. To honor his memory, they started a "kindness cards" initiative, encouraging people to perform acts of kindness and pass the cards along, spreading the compassion that Jonah embodied.

The case of Jonah Golden’s murder remains unsolved. His family continues to endure the unbearable pain of his loss while holding out hope that someone will finally have the courage to speak up and provide the answers they have sought for so long. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office continues to investigate. Anyone with information about the shooting death of Jonah Golden is urged to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-8477. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward.