Jennifer Renee Embree, a 37-year-old woman from Jacksonville, Florida, was tragically killed on February 8, 2018. Jennifer, who was white, was found shot to death at a home on Pine Estates Road in the Highlands neighborhood. The incident was part of a murder-for-hire plot targeting her boyfriend, Michael Christopher Collins, who was also shot but survived his injuries.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office revealed that the shooting stemmed from a drug-related dispute.
The investigation led to the arrest of Justin Clark Williamson, who was charged with second-degree murder and attempted murder. Williamson, who was 31 at the time, was hired by Dustine Matthew Westfall, 33, to kill Collins. Westfall had gotten into an argument with Collins over drugs and offered Williamson money to carry out the hit. During the attack, Williamson entered the home, pulled a gun from a shoulder holster, and shot Jennifer in the head before turning the gun on Collins, who was shot in the back of the head but managed to survive.
Further investigation revealed that Westfall was present at the home during the shooting and had orchestrated the murder-for-hire. Westfall was later arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder, along with additional drug trafficking charges. Williamson was convicted of second-degree murder and attempted murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. The arrests and convictions provided some closure to Jennifer's family, who expressed their gratitude for the hard work and dedication of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and the detectives involved in the case.
