Mom of woman whose body dumped at cemetery speaks

Police believe 34-year-old killed somewhere else

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Keisha Murray was a mother of five who loved to cook and make people laugh.

"I miss her smile," said Murray's mother, who didn't want to be identified. "She was always happy, jolly girl."

The 34-year-old was found dead Sunday, her body found in plain view underneath a tree at Restlawn Cemetery in Northwest Jacksonville.

"She didn't deserve to be thrown away like a piece of trash," Murray's mother said.

Investigators believe she was killed elsewhere.

"My heart often goes out to the family when I see it on the news or read a paper or hear it happening to someone, but I never thought that I had to go through this," Murray's mother said. "It's totally different when you have to go through it yourself."

Murray (pictured, right) had a difficult past. She'd been arrested several times for cocaine, burglary, forgery and battery. But her mom says she was working to get her life back on track.

"There's no such thing as a perfect person," she said. "My daughter was a human being. She was trying to get her life together."

No matter what her past is, her mom says no one deserves to be left like her daughter was. She also says she has no idea who would do that to her.

"I didn't think I'd never see this day, first of all," she said.

It's a day Murray's family is still trying to piece together, while coping with the unthinkable.

"Unbearable. I'm heartbroken," Murray's mother said. "She was my baby, she meant the world to me. It's not going to be the same without her. Nothing's going to be the same."

Anyone who has any information about the killing is asked to contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or email JSOCrimeTips@jaxsheriff.org. To remain anonymous and receive a possible reward up to $3,000 contact Crime Stoppers at 866-845-TIPS.

A VyStar account has been set up for Keisha Murray to help with funeral expenses. The account number is 7504270258.

Murray's funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church at 2538 Firestone Road.


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