August 12, 2024 | By: Isabella Lavorgna

This story is part of a collaborative project between Project: Cold Case and the University of North Florida’s Applied Journalism class.

Joe Harrell was born on November 11^th, 1980. He grew up in Jacksonville, Florida in a loving and close-knit family. Joe was the middle child, having one older sister and one younger. He was a hardworking, comical, intelligent young man who loved to spread his creativity through art. His eldest sister, Lavonne, said “His beautifully humble personality touched every person he met”. After high school, Joe worked at a hospital and was interested in pursuing a career as a surgical tech while maintaining his passion for art and design.

The moments spent together as a family are the most memorable for the Harrell’s. As kids they enjoyed playing video games, reading comics, listening to music, and having fun with each other. “I was the youngest so I kinda followed him around,” said Michelle. The siblings adopted each other’s musical tastes and now when songs from Wu-Tang Clan play, they can’t help but think of times spent driving around blasting music in the car.

On Jan. 21, 2006, 25-year-old Joe was expected to arrive at his mother’s house, where he lived. As the hours passed and he didn’t return, his mother began reaching out to family, but no one knew where he was. “I remember my mom calling me saying he didn’t come home,” said Lavonne, “and his phone kept going straight to voicemail.” His family began actively searching for Joe. By the next day, the family knew something was wrong when his boss called asking where he was when he did not arrive at work.

Unbeknownst to the family, the police discovered a deceased body in the driveway of a house on Silver Street with gunshot wounds, in the Springfield neighborhood of Jacksonville, Florida. Lavonne and her father had to determine if it was her brother or not. It was. His case is unsolved and Joe’s family is continuing to fight for justice.

The days that followed the discovery of Joe’s body went by like a blur. “It was almost like we didn’t have time to process everything after that because it all went by so fast,” said Lavonne. Afterwards, his immediate family took off work for the week and were comforted by their family and friends. “There was a lot of trying to get the word out,” said Michelle. “We put up flyers in the area where he was found and had a billboard put up to help solve his case”.

Although it was emotionally draining to do, his sisters planned his funeral within a week of his death. They couldn’t bear to see their parents have to plan a funeral for their son. That day, the family grieved for the life of their brother and son who had a bright future ahead of him. “We were introduced to a world we had no knowledge of,” said Lavonne. “What kept us all going was needing to be an advocate for Joe in all ways.” The family had to learn to live and survive in a world where their loved one was murdered.

The Harrell family remembers Joe on his birthday and always delivers flowers to him on the anniversary of his death. “Joe and my sister truly made my childhood great; he was a quintessential big brother and I wish my family was able to see all the things he could have done,” said Michelle. “I hate that his life was taken away from him and my family so soon, I hope that if anyone knows anything about the details of his death will come forward because he deserves justice.

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Anyone with information concerning Joe Harrell’s murder is asked to call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at (904) 630-0500. To remain anonymous and possibly be eligible for a reward, call First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477) or dial **TIPS from your mobile device.

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