On September 8, 2007, 23-year-old Kelli Chapple was found shot to death at an apartment complex off University Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to a report that led them to discover Chapple's body in the bedroom of the apartment, while her boyfriend, David Matos, was found dead in the kitchen. Both were victims of gunshot wounds.
The crime scene did not show signs of forced entry, and it is believed that those involved were targeting Matos, who was reportedly selling drugs from the apartment. Authorities suspect that Chapple was caught in the middle of a robbery gone wrong and was killed to eliminate any witnesses.
Kelli had moved from New York to Jacksonville only a few months before her death. She came to join her father, who had relocated to Jacksonville for work. Before her untimely death, Kelli was working at ADT Security and attending Florida State College at Jacksonville, where she was pursuing a degree in biology. Her family remembers her as a curious, kind, and loving young woman who enjoyed cooking, writing poetry, and spending time with loved ones. Her father, Bernard Chapple, vividly recalls the pain of learning about her death through news reports and then having to confirm her identity at the morgue. He continues to advocate for justice, urging anyone with information to come forward.
Despite extensive investigations and efforts to solve the case, it remains unsolved, leaving Kelli's family with unanswered questions. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and Project Cold Case have made several public pleas for information, and a reward is being offered for any tip that could lead to an arrest. The hope is that someone who knows something will finally come forward, helping to provide the Chapple family with the closure they desperately seek.
