Bobby Chattic

Bobby Chattic had a deep love for cooking, a passion that defined both his professional and personal life. A 48-year-old Black man, Bobby worked two jobs to support himself and the children he loved as his own, serving as a sous chef at River City Brewing Company and a cook at Golden Corral in Jacksonville, Florida. He was happiest in a kitchen, whether at work or at home, and took every opportunity to prepare meals for his friends and family. His sister, Amanda Chattic, fondly recalled that he would make her "second in my own kitchen," laughing at the memory. He was known for his from-scratch spaghetti with homemade noodles and a sauce he perfected. Amanda’s personal favorite was his bread pudding. "He made the best bread pudding," she said. "I wish he would have left us the recipe."

On the evening of December 12, 2009, Bobby was in the kitchen of his own small apartment in Jacksonville's San Marco neighborhood, preparing a meal for himself. He had moved into the 500-square-foot apartment just three months earlier. That night, a knock came at his door. Neighbors later told investigators they heard a commotion and heard Bobby yelling, "Who was it?" before gunshots rang out. Bobby was found shot and killed, lying on the tile floor of his apartment. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office launched a homicide investigation, but the person or people responsible have never been identified.

The news was devastating for his family. Amanda was living in Miami, where she and her brothers had grown up, when she received a call from a Jacksonville detective. He informed her that officers were on their way to her home to deliver the news in person, but she insisted on knowing what had happened. The detective then told her that her brother had been murdered. Amanda immediately packed her car and drove to Jacksonville with other relatives. Their first stop was the morgue to identify Bobby's body, a painful task that confirmed their worst fears.

From there, they went to Bobby's apartment. As they approached, they could see his Christmas tree through the window, the lights still blinking. There were presents already placed underneath it. Christmas had always been a special time for Bobby, a holiday he celebrated with great enthusiasm. The sight of the festive decorations in the now-silent apartment was a heartbreaking reminder of the life that had been so violently cut short. "It stuck with me," Amanda said, "To see his Christmas tree, to see his Christmas lights still blinking." The last time she had seen her brother alive was when she visited in September to help him with a utility bill issue. This was the second brother Amanda had lost; her oldest brother had passed away in 2004.

Those who knew Bobby remembered him as a kind and gentle man. "Bobby wasn’t violent," said his former fiancée, Gale Williams. "He was quiet and calm." They had met in the 1990s while working together at a restaurant called Crawdaddy’s and had known each other for a decade. Though their romantic relationship ended, they remained close friends. Gale shared how Bobby had been a dedicated father figure to her children. "He was a father to my kids, who weren’t even his," she said. He would take them to wrestling matches and baseball and football games. He often said he worked two jobs: "one for him and one for his kids."

In the years since the murder, the Chattic family has endured not only the pain of their loss but also the frustration of an unsolved case. Amanda described her interactions with the lead detective as positive, noting his compassion and his encouragement to "be patient, stay healthy, stay well." However, the family also faced additional pain from anonymous online commenters who posted cruel theories about Bobby's death under news articles. "It was terrible," Amanda recalled. "No one deserves what happened to Bobby, no matter who they are."

As of December 2020, Bobby Chattic's murder remains unsolved, and no arrests have ever been made. The case is still open with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. A reward of up to $3,000 is available through First Coast Crime Stoppers for information that leads to an arrest. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at (904) 630-0500 or First Coast Crime Stoppers at (866) 845-TIPS to remain anonymous.