Deaths of mother, daughter ruled double murder; 2 identified

Both found dead in Westside home Sunday morning

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The deaths of a woman and her teenage daughter in a Westside home Sunday morning are now being investigated as a double murder, Jacksonville police said.

Investigators identified the victims Monday as 41-year-old Judith Henry and 17-year-old Denise Rickman.

News4Jax learned Monday that Henry filed for divorce June 12.

Police said they are not releasing the causes of death so they don't "hinder further investigative efforts."

The bodies were found just before noon Sunday in a home in the 5600 block of Shady Pine Street, off Blanding Boulevard, by a third person who lives at the house.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office questioned that person, but authorities have not called him a suspect and said they do not have a suspect at this time.

The JSO incident report called the deaths a shooting investigation, which confirms what neighbors told News4Jax.

Neighbors said a man and a young boy also lived in the home. Police said the boy was not home when the killings happened.

"I went out and we saw the man on the phone screaming. We didn't know what was going on," neighbor Ralph Soud said. "Then later on we find out that a woman and her daughter is dead. It was awful. I could tell you, the neighborhood is a quiet neighborhood. I've been here over 13 years. I've never seen anything happen like this."

One neighbor who did not want to be identified said she regularly saw the family.

"Just the other day, they were live people," she said. "They were sitting in the garage as they normally do. They were laughing and talking and joking. And suddenly they're dead. I just hope they find whoever did it."

"It makes me fearful that they don't have a suspect," the woman said. "Because that means it could be random."

The crime scene unit continued its investigation in the Duclay Forest neighborhood Monday morning.

Investigators were seen going in and out of the house collecting evidence.

Anyone with any information about the killings is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.


About the Authors:

Ashley Harding joined the Channel 4 news team in March 2013. She reports for and anchors The Morning Show.