Duval County

Jacksonville mother Mary Petersen killed nearly 19 years ago

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Mary Petersen’s mother is asking for tips to help solve her daughter’s cold murder case.

It’s been almost 19 years since Mary Petersen, a Jacksonville mom, was killed inside her home with her two children nearby.

Her killer has not been brought to justice.

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In February 2002, 36-year-old Mary Petersen filed for divorce from her husband Don Petersen. She’d been spending weeks at her parent’s home with her two children.

“She was one of the best mothers that God could ever give her children,” Mary’s mother, Frances Futrill, told Action News Jax. “She was a one-on-one mother, she loved their education, she loved working with them at the schools. She worked hard at her job.”

But everything changed on Memorial Day.

Mary decided to leave her parent’s home to go grab some clothes from her Fort Caroline home. It was the last time her mother saw her.

“She said, ‘You know, mother ... I think we’ll just spend the night and we’ll see you in the morning or you can spend the night with us,’” Futrill said. “I hadn’t been away from them in weeks and the night I chose to come home is the night I lost her.”

That night JSO says someone strangled Mary to death.

“It was a brutal, physical murder,” Futrill said.

JSO has not identified a suspect.

“You just wonder why they can’t get us the answers,” Futrill explained. “We need to get this person who’s running free and having a happy life.”

Almost 19 years later, Futrill says, “It never gets easier. You get up day to day, I don’t care what day it is or who’s with you or what’s going on, you’re like an instant replay of that day, every day.”

Action News Jax reached out to JSO for updates on this cold case but we have not heard back yet.

On the anniversary of her death, Futrill will be visiting her daughter’s gravesite and adding a fresh set of flowers, just like she does every week.

She hopes bringing Mary’s story back to light will lead to new tips and, hopefully, an arrest and some closure.

“I’d like to see justice for Mary,” she said.

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“We just miss her with every beat of our heart and every breath we take. Every day. She was a wonderful girl.”

Action News Jax reached out to JSO for updates and a spokesperson said, “In checking, there is no new information available in this case and it remains a cold case.”

You can submit crime tips to JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org or call 904.630.0500.

To remain anonymous and receive a possible reward up to $3,000, contact First Coast Crime Stoppers at 1.866.845.TIPS (8477).

Families of homicide victims needing assistance or to submit a cold case, visit https://www.projectcoldcase.org/