Erica Green Lancaster, a 31-year-old Caucasian woman from Green Cove Springs, FL, tragically lost her life on May 3, 2016. Erica was born on November 5, 1984, in Orange Park, FL, and was known for her role as the Environmental Services Accounting Coordinator with Clay County. She was an active member of Sharon Baptist Church and enjoyed outdoor activities such as boating, fishing, and hunting. Erica was engaged to Travis Wickman and was a loving mother to her children, Luke and Alyssa Lancaster, and Izzy Wickman.
The circumstances surrounding Erica's death were part of a horrific series of events that unfolded on that fateful day. Murray Leon Lancaster, Erica's ex-husband, embarked on a violent rampage that resulted in multiple fatalities. The incident began when Murray abducted his girlfriend, Valorie Shea Short, from her workplace at a hair salon in Green Cove Springs. He then drove to the Magnolia West subdivision, where he encountered Valorie's father, Welland "Buddy" Robert Short. Both Valorie, a 30-year-old Caucasian woman, and her father, a 55-year-old Caucasian man, were shot and killed by Murray.
Following these murders, Murray proceeded to the Rosemary Hill landfill, where Erica was working. He shot and killed Erica at the landfill before fleeing to a trailer on his property. The authorities later found Murray dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the trailer. The weapon used in the killings was identified as a .223-caliber rifle.
The investigation revealed that Murray had a history of domestic violence and legal troubles. He had been arrested in March 2016 for battery and resisting arrest after an altercation with Buddy Short. Additionally, Valorie had filed an injunction for protection against Murray following a violent incident in which he had assaulted her. The tragic events of May 3, 2016, left the community of Green Cove Springs in shock and mourning, as they grappled with the loss of three lives due to domestic violence and unresolved personal conflicts.
