Fl - Duval Co - Velvet Floyd Burns, 44, found murdered, Doris Lane, Jacksonville

[Jax49]

Jacksonville homicide officers investigate Doris Lane woman's death

A neighbor said she and another neighbor saw a dark vehicle going up and down the dead-end street with its headlights off at approximately 4 a.m., about a half-hour after the victim’s husband left for a job. The neighbor said she was told it was an apparent break-in and that a family friend found the woman early that afternoon.

 

[Jax49]

Murder investigation underway after mother's body found in Marietta home

A woman's body was discovered Thursday afternoon inside a home in the close-knit Marietta neighborhood, the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said.

Officers were called about 1:20 p.m. Thursday to Doris Lane, near the intersection of Commonwealth Avenue and Jones Road. Police said a woman, 44, was found dead inside a house.

 

[Razz]

Wondering if this was a targeted hit on the woman or a targeted burglary of this particular home and she got up to check it out and was murdered. Wish the neighbors would have called that car w/out its headlights on into the police.

 

[PayrollNerd]

Someone was waiting for the husband to leave? A burglary gone wrong? Did they think the house was empty, or did they know she was there?

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Nice neighbors not to bother calling to report a car driving up and down the street with headlights off at 4am.

 

[Rocky1]

Wondering if this was a targeted hit on the woman or a targeted burglary of this particular home and she got up to check it out and was murdered. Wish the neighbors would have called that car w/out its headlights on into the police.

I may be a targeted hit, but why would the car be driving up and down the road before the crime?
To me, if she was targeted, whoever did this would have known where she lived ahead of time.
JMO.
On the other hand, do you think it may be someone she knows? Say for example someone from work that knew her and knew her husband left at 4 am, knew the street she lived on, but not the exact house?

 

[Jax49]

The neighbors must be very concerned for their own safety, considering it is a dead end street. moo

 

[Razz]

I'm curious if the car actually stopped at the home or if they found the home and then parked the car away from the scene and took their break in tools (if that is what they were doing) with them. (It will be interesting to see how she was murdered. By blunt object, gun, knife etc.)

The reason I'm wondering if they left the car somewhere else and walked to the house is because a few months ago I was reading "Next Door" (a neighborhood blog) and a woman described a dark car with lights off who parked in her neighborhood very early in the a.m. She was able to see someone get out but they disappeared. They/he later returned, and left the area. She was uncertain whether to call police but those on the blog said she most certainly should. (This occurred in a very quiet, very dark (no street lights) neighborhood. So maybe this is a trend.(in Fl). Finding the house, parking elsewhere and breaking in.

 

[bwt42]

I recently learned that Florida does not automatically release victims names. If a neighbor wasn't around when a reporter was on scene, we may never have heard her name. The state also may not divulge how the victim died. jmo. Could someone in Florida explain how Marcy's law works. tia

 

[alexwood]

The headline on at least one article describes her as "a mother." Where were the children? There is no mention of a husband except in the first article that indicates he left for "a job" at about 3:30 a.m. That could be an out of town job, or a regular job that he works where he leaves at that time daily. Also, the neighbors saw a dark SUV two nights in a row (or, I should say, in the early morning hours). The second night, it was departing the area with lights off.

"According to neighbors, a dark-colored SUV was spotted driving past the home two days in a row. Neighbors said the last time was early Thursday morning when the SUV drove away from the area with its headlights off. Police have not confirmed whether the SUV could be related to the case."​

Someone close to the family found her. It was not her husband, or a child.

All very murky, at this point.

Murder investigation underway after mother's body found in Marietta home

Finally, the article calls her death "suspicious." Does that mean that there is no evidence of a burglary? Only that someone came in and murdered her for no apparent reason?

 

[alexwood]

Someone was waiting for the husband to leave? A burglary gone wrong? Did they think the house was empty, or did they know she was there?

Apparently, from the articles I've read, there was a camper on the property. That alone, I would think, would give a potential burglar pause -- in case someone was sleeping in it.

 

[alexwood]

My initial impression is that she was targeted.

 

[Rocky1]

I wonder why two neighbors were up at 4 am?
Loud exhaust? Light sleepers?

 

[alexwood]

I wonder why two neighbors were up at 4 am?
Loud exhaust? Light sleepers?

I was wondering the same. I doubt they had (working) surveillance cameras on their homes to corroborate their claims of the dark-colored SUV. Odds are that they probably didn't.

 

[Rocky1]

I was wondering the same. I doubt they had (working) surveillance cameras on their homes to corroborate their claims of the dark-colored SUV. Odds are that they probably didn't.

True. According to the article in the first post. the neighbor's said "she and another neighbor saw."

Snipped:
However, a neighbor said she and another neighbor saw a dark vehicle going up and down the dead-end street with its headlights off at approximately 4 a.m., about a half-hour after the victim’s husband left for a job.

 

[oceanstarryeyes]

Sounds like a paid hit and the shooter didn’t scope out the house ahead of time so he/she was driving up and down the street searching for the correct house.

 

[alexwood]

These are excerpts from article posted today (Sun., May 12, 2019, 1:30 p.m. EDT):

"Kolby Burns said he never thought his mother would be taken from his life 'so fast' in his Facebook post."
[...]
"Homicide detectives were called to the home just before 1:30 p.m. (on Thurs., May 9, 2019) to find the woman but offered no possible cause or circumstances in her death."

A neighbor was told that it was an apparent break-in at the home.

Jacksonville homicide victim identified as family and friends grieve her on Mother's Day

 

[SeesSeas]

FL Woman Velvet Floyd Burns ID’d As Victim Found Murdered In Jacksonville Home Thursday
May 12, 2019
JACKSONVILLE, FL. (THECOUNT) — Velvet Floyd Burns has been identified as victim found dead inside a Jacksonville home on Thursday afternoon.

Burns, 44, was found deceased by detectives who were called to a home in the 8800 block of Doris Lane, in Jacksonville, FL, after 1 p.m. Thursday.
[...]

 

[PayrollNerd]

No street lights I’m guessing? I wonder if their house had exterior lighting. Criminals aren’t going to choose a place that’s lit up like an Xmas tree. My neighbor owns a security company. I hired him to install motion detection LED flood lights in the backyard. He told me not to bother with a video system, just light them up, they’ll pick another house.

 

[SeesSeas]

I recently learned that Florida does not automatically release victims names. If a neighbor wasn't around when a reporter was on scene, we may never have heard her name. The state also may not divulge how the victim died. jmo. Could someone in Florida explain how Marcy's law works. tia

Name was released today. . . Velvet Floyd Burns
Regarding Marsy's law in FL . . . it's confusing.
Amendment 6, 'Marsy's Law,' adds nothing to Florida law | Opinion
Dec. 5, 2018

What Does Marsy's Law, Amendment 6 Mean For Florida?
JAN 14, 2019

The Florida Constitution - The Florida Senate
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF FLORIDA
SECTION 16. Rights of accused and of victims.—
(a) In all criminal prosecutions the accused shall, upon demand, be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation, and shall be furnished a copy of the charges, and shall have the right to have compulsory process for witnesses, to confront at trial adverse witnesses, to be heard in person, by counsel or both, and to have a speedy and public trial by impartial jury in the county where the crime was committed. If the county is not known, the indictment or information may charge venue in two or more counties conjunctively and proof that the crime was committed in that area shall be sufficient; but before pleading the accused may elect in which of those counties the trial will take place. Venue for prosecution of crimes committed beyond the boundaries of the state shall be fixed by law.
(b) To preserve and protect the right of crime victims to achieve justice, ensure a meaningful role throughout the criminal and juvenile justice systems for crime victims, and ensure that crime victims’ rights and interests are respected and protected by law in a manner no less vigorous than protections afforded to criminal defendants and juvenile delinquents, every victim is entitled to the following rights, beginning at the time of his or her victimization:
(1) The right to due process and to be treated with fairness and respect for the victim’s dignity.
(2) The right to be free from intimidation, harassment, and abuse.
(3) The right, within the judicial process, to be reasonably protected from the accused and any person acting on behalf of the accused. However, nothing contained herein is intended to create a special relationship between the crime victim and any law enforcement agency or office absent a special relationship or duty as defined by Florida law.
(4) The right to have the safety and welfare of the victim and the victim’s family considered when setting bail, including setting pretrial release conditions that protect the safety and welfare of the victim and the victim’s family.
(5) The right to prevent the disclosure of information or records that could be used to locate or harass the victim or the victim’s family, or which could disclose confidential or privileged information of the victim.
(6) A victim shall have the following specific rights upon request:
[...]