JSO detectives say they have a person of interest in the murder of Beverly Gilbert, but their case is circumstantial, which is why they need the public’s help.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Baker Brother Grocery store may be gone, but the building still stands on Kings Road, just across from Edward Waters University in Jacksonville. Katina Gilbert drives past it almost every day. She was 6-years-old when her mother, Beverly Gilbert was murdered.
“They always say how nice she was and how she liked to read books and how quiet she was and she was just a sweet, nice person,” Gilbert told First Coast News.
On Dec. 29, 1986, Beverly Gilbert walked with her boyfriend to work at Baker Brother Grocery. Witnesses say they saw her there around 9 a.m.
“There were customers in and out of the store, having conversations with her and it appears the person of interest waited until she was in the store alone to go in and murder her,” said Detective Travis Oliver with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit.
A delivery man found Beverly face down on the ground behind the register, shot once in the chest. Her purse was still at the scene and money was still in the register, it was not a robbery. Oliver says it was personal.
“It would be what we would call a lover’s triangle between the two girlfriends and one boyfriend,” Oliver said.
Oliver further states that JSO’s person of interest is a woman. The unknown woman and Beverly had been in a fight at the store just months prior to the shooting.
“Several people can tell us a description of a strange or suspicious young lady that was hanging out around the business before the incident occurred,” Oliver told First Coast News.
But, those witnesses could not pick out the woman from a photo line up in 1986. Looking at the case now, Oliver says Beverly’s clothes will be sent out for DNA testing and they will be re-interviewing witnesses.
“We have been extremely lucky that every one of our witnesses that detectives spoke with in 1986, are still alive,” Oliver said.
Oliver says this case will be solved by people coming forward with information, something Katina says her family is praying for.
“I just want to know what happened to her,” Katina said.
If you know anything about the murder of Beverly Gilbert, please call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).
