Ocklawaha, Florida — The investigation continues after a mother of three was found murdered in her home.
On February 28, a 911 call went out after a family friend found Melissa Nease, 29, inside her home on Guava Pass Drive, a remote stretch of road in Ocklawaha.
When authorities arrived at the home, they discovered that Nease was deceased.
Nease’s sister, and only sibling, Amy Harris, said, “I don’t understand how somebody could just take somebody away from their kids, especially when she’s so young, so young, so beautiful, so full of life.”
Harris said that Nease lived with her children, stepchild, and the father of her children.
“The rest of the family was in Tennessee seeing the snow, but Nease stayed behind because she had to work at a new clerical job she started just days before she was killed,” said Harris.
Nease’s children range from ages 2 to 10-years-old.
The father of Nease’s three children, Shane Jenkins, said he had left with the children on Friday, February 26. He said he messaged Nease multiple times while he was in Tennessee, but she never answered him back. He said doesn’t know anyone who would want to hurt Nease.
Jenkins said that Nease was an amazing woman who loved her children. He said the children are heartbroken about the loss of their mother and continually ask him about her but he just doesn’t know how to answer them.
Detectives have interviewed family, friends, and neighbors, but so far, authorities do not have any leads.
Harris says she does not have any idea who could have murdered her sister and does not have any suspicions about anyone.
“I just don’t know… because I don’t know anybody that did not like my sister,” said Harris.
Harris said that she knows that someone took a mother from her three children and she wants answers.
Nease’s death has been classified as a homicide but no details about how Nease was killed have been released.
Anyone with information about this homicide can call Detective Daniel Pinder at 352-368-3508 or contact Crime Stoppers at 368-7867 or ocalacrimestoppers.com.
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