Marty Deane Coffey, a 50-year-old white male, tragically lost his life on June 27, 2016, in Jacksonville, Florida. Marty, who was born on September 25, 1965, in Orlando, Florida, was a dedicated employee in the trucking industry and served his country in the US Army. He was known for his kind and helpful nature, always willing to assist anyone in need.
Marty was employed with Old Dominion Truck Lines in Jacksonville at the time of his death.
On the morning of June 27, 2016, Marty Coffey was shot and killed as he arrived at work at the Old Dominion trucking depot on Jacksonville's Westside. The incident occurred around 6:30 a.m. when Marty was getting out of his car. Multiple shots were fired, and the suspect fled the scene in a small white car. The police initially did not have clear information on whether the attack was targeted or random. Evidence markers surrounded Marty's blue car in the parking lot, and detectives interviewed witnesses and sought surveillance videos from nearby businesses.
The investigation revealed that the suspect in Marty's murder was Alfred Tankersley, a 50-year-old former employee of Southeastern Freight Trucking Company. Tankersley had been fired from his job two years prior and appeared to have targeted Marty and another manager in Mississippi as part of a revenge plot. The day after killing Marty, Tankersley traveled to Mississippi and shot another manager outside Southeastern Trucking. This second victim survived the attack and was able to provide information to the police.
Tankersley was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Richland, Mississippi. The police connected the two incidents and confirmed that Tankersley was responsible for both shootings. The motive behind the attacks was linked to Tankersley's dismissal from his job, although the specific reasons for his firing were not disclosed. The tragic events left the community and Marty's family in shock, mourning the loss of a beloved husband, father, and friend.
