Still no arrest in mother's killing

ORANGE PARK, Fla. – The best friend of 27-year-old Jillian Berrios said police are no closer to making an arrest nearly a week since her shooting death.

Police say the mother of two was killed last Saturday while sitting in her car in the Park Place Apartments complex on Loring Avenue, just west of Park Avenue in Orange Park.

"For us, that's the hardest. It doesn't make sense at all that she was taken from us," said Zulma Flores, Berrios' best friend. "She was such a great mother, sister, daughter and a friend. She would take her shirt off of her back to give it to somebody."

Police say a man walked up to the car, fired shots, then took off. Berrios' passenger was taken to a hospital and treated for her injuries.

The Orange Park Police Department is staying very tight-lipped about the investigation. It says at this point, it doesn't believe this was a random act of violence.

Police also say multiple agencies are helping in the investigation and are following a lot of leads in hopes of finding the killer.

Nathan Alberts owns the school right across from where the shooting happened. For him, the thought of a killer roaming the streets is terrifying.

"What if the bullets had missed and it had been during school hours?" Alberts said. "If this could be closed, if there could be closure to this situation, we could relax a little bit. As long as that person is still out there, then there's an obvious concern that this could happen again."

Berrios' family has set up an account through PayPal to help cover the costs of her burial. The hope is to bury her in her hometown of Chicago.

Berrios' friends say their faith is helping them get through it all.

"We know that she's going to be taken home and have a proper burial," Flores said. "Right now is the time for peace. Our focus is on Jill."

Another fundraiser will be held for Berrios at 10 p.m. Friday at Whisper Lounge at the corner of Atlantic Boulevard and St. Johns Bluff Road.

Her viewing will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at Aaron and Burney Bivens Funeral Home in Orange Park.

For anyone interested in donating to the PayPal account for Berrios' burial, click here.


About the Author:

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