On December 23, 2007, Franklin Delano Prince Jr., a 28-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, was murdered in a tragic incident outside his Eureka Gardens apartment. Prince was sitting with two friends on the steps of the apartment complex when three men approached them. The suspects, described as three unidentified Black males, forced the group to the ground and opened fire.
Franklin and another individual named Antonio Creech were both killed at the scene, while the third victim survived but was unable to identify the attackers.
The attack occurred just two days before Christmas, leaving Prince's family devastated. His sister, Glenda McCollors-McClendon, shared that Franklin had been taking a merchant seaman class and was working towards becoming a merchant mariner. He wanted to travel the world and care for his mother, a testament to his desire to improve his life and the lives of his loved ones. Despite his efforts to build a better future, his life was cut short in this senseless act of violence.
The motive for the crime is suspected to be related to a turf war in the area, but no arrests have been made in the years since. The case remains unsolved, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, along with Project Cold Case, continues to seek any information that might help bring justice to Franklin and his family. The family has struggled with the lack of closure, and Franklin's sister expressed her hope that the case will eventually be resolved so that their mother can see justice served in her lifetime.
Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers, where they may remain anonymous and potentially be eligible for a reward if their tip leads to an arrest. The Prince family continues to advocate for justice, urging community members to come forward with any information, no matter how small, that could help solve this cold case.
