JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Police say It’s been almost nine years since 19-year-old Jonah Golden was killed at a Jacksonville house party by a single stray bullet.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office brought renewed attention to the case Friday with a post to social media.
Action News Jax Shanila Kabir spoke to Jonah’s mother, who says their family still knows very little about what led up to Jonah’s final moments even after all this time.
>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<
“He honestly was the funniest person that I’ve ever met, he had the ability to make everyone laugh,” said Rebecca Harp.
Harp said she and her son had never been to the Westside home where the party was held, but his friends had invited him back in April 2016.
JSO officers were sent to the scene after a reported shooting inside the home on Liska Drive following an argument.
Related: 1 teen killed, 1 injured in shooting at Westside house party
“A fight broke out and he was trying to get out of the house, when the gun went out and hit him and went through the breezeway,” said Harp.
Neighbors at the time said the house party was out of control with dozens of teenagers inside.
“There was a bunch of people there and crime scene tape. I kept calling him. He wasn’t answering his phone. I saw someone was lying dead on the ground and it was him,” said Harp.
Harp said the last thing her son said to her was that he was going to spend Friday night with his girlfriend. However, his friends later asked him to go to that party instead.
“I’ll never be the person I was before. Jonah was my best friend. I had him when I was 20 and he died when he was 19. It’s hard, you can’t get it back.”
[DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks]
However, neighbors had called police several times before the party managed to become deadly.
Action News Jax reported back in 2016, the 911 log showed neighbors down the street called police to shut the party down three different times between 11 PM and 1 AM.
Almost a decade later, the family is still waiting for answers and an arrest.
“I think we were everything to him like he was everything to us.”
The Jonah Golden homicide remains an active investigation.
Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office or leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStoppers.
[SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
