John Robert Edward Stubbs was a familiar and well-liked figure in his Bunnell, Florida, community. A lifelong resident of Flagler County, the 46-year-old man was known for his strong work ethic and friendly hustle. He was often seen with his orange bucket, detailing cars for neighbors or doing handyman and trucking work to make a living. To those who knew him, he was a good man trying to make a dollar. His younger brother, Eddie Bryant, remembered him as someone who genuinely enjoyed working. A local pastor, Rev. Sims Jones, recalled that "Everybody in the community loved him," describing him as a "young man with a good head on his shoulders."
John was also a proud veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, having served his country for about eight years. A photograph provided by his family shows him in his Marine dress blues. Beyond his work and service, John was a family man with two daughters who lived in nearby Volusia County.
His sister, Juanita Jenkins, was also part of the community fabric, later invited to speak at a local event organized to bring residents together. Though he had faced struggles and had a criminal history, those who knew him in the neighborhood saw a man who worked hard every day.
The day after Thanksgiving, on the morning of Friday, November 27, 2015, the community was shaken by violence. John Stubbs was found dead on the doorstep of his duplex at 502 East Drain Street. He had been shot multiple times in the upper torso. A neighbor discovered his body around 10 a.m., though some residents reported hearing sounds like firecrackers earlier that morning. When police arrived, they found John lying next to the orange pail he used for his car-detailing business. The scene was quickly secured, and it was apparent to the Bunnell city manager that it was a homicide.
The investigation began immediately, led by the Bunnell Police Department with significant assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Flagler County Sheriff's Office (FCSO). Investigators worked the scene for hours, collecting evidence and speaking with neighbors who had gathered nearby, talking in hushed tones about the man they all knew. Despite the activity and the public nature of the crime scene, no suspects were immediately identified, and no arrests were made.
In the years that followed, the investigation into John Stubbs's murder grew cold. The duplex where he was killed developed a troubled reputation and was the site of a fire in 2019. Eventually, recognizing the need for more resources, the Bunnell Police Department transferred the case to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office. It is now handled by the agency's Cold Case Unit, where it is officially listed as an open, unsolved homicide under case number 15-118374.
As of October 2026, the murder of John Stubbs remains unsolved, one of two cold case homicides in Flagler County from 2015. His family and community have been left without answers for over a decade. The question of who would shoot and kill the hardworking Marine veteran on his own doorstep is a wound that has not healed in the small city of Bunnell. Investigators continue to ask for anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. The Flagler County Sheriff's Office has not announced any reward for information leading to an arrest.
