A man leaves for work and is later found murdered Cecil "Pat" McMinn, age 31, was murdered on October 13, 1995, in Jacksonville, Florida. He was last seen leaving his home to head to his overnight shift at the Kings Road Post Office. Tragically, he never arrived at work. The following morning, McMinn was found shot in his red Ford truck near The Ramona Pavilion, a remote area close to the Ramona Flea Market. A worker initially thought someone might be sleeping in the vehicle but eventually discovered McMinn had been shot twice in the chest.
The authorities suspected robbery as a potential motive, as McMinn's wallet, containing cash from a recent loan, was missing from the scene. However, other valuable items, such as his watch, remained untouched.
Diane McMinn, Cecil's wife, initially faced suspicion from the police and underwent a lie-detector test to rule her out as a suspect. Over the years, she and her family have struggled to find peace, constantly hoping that new evidence or a confession will eventually provide the answers they need. Detectives have reviewed the case multiple times, employing newer forensic techniques like DNA testing and fingerprint analysis to generate new leads, but the case remains unsolved to this day.
Cecil’s wife, Diane, still searches for answers and describes him as the love of her life. Their children, Jason and Kristen, have grown up without their father, with Jason even becoming a corrections officer, driven by the hope that he might one day cross paths with the person responsible for his father's death. Diane continues to seek justice, and she works with Project Cold Case to keep Cecil's story alive and potentially help bring closure to her family. Anyone with information on this cold case is encouraged to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office or Crime Stoppers, and detectives continue to hope that renewed public attention will lead to a breakthrough in solving this tragic case.
