Body of missing Florida mom, 20, found in shallow grave

Investigators say they found the remains of Nyeisha Nelson in a wooded area after she had been missing for over a week

Feb 24, 2021

The remains of a missing Florida mom have been found.

Investigators say they found the remains of Nyeisha Nelson, 20, on Saturday in a wooded area. It had been over a week since the family reported her missing.

Florida Nyeisha Nelson thegrio.com — Nyeisha Nelson (Credit: PUTNAM COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE)

“I can tell you that the medical examiner wasn’t able to give us an exact time of death,” said Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Col. Joseph Wells during a news conference, per New 4 Jax.

“It is possible that her death occurred shortly after her disappearance, but again, they were unable to narrow that down exactly.”

Nelson, who usually checks in with her family several times a day, was last seen taking her 5-year-old daughter to school on Feb. 11. A neighbor said they saw the beloved hairdresser in her yard on Ohio Street in Crescent City in shorts and a T-shirt. She later drove off in her 2008 gray Honda Accord. The car is evidence police are using to solve the case.

Her car was found off Old U.S. 17 near Crescent City.

“The investigation does suggest the likelihood that she knew the offender. This was not a random act of stranger on stranger violence,” said Wells. “But the exact motive is not known.”

“Her car is going to be a key part of this. Not so much the car — we have it — but who was driving that car around or after Feb. 11,” he added.

Nelson’s remains were found near County Road 308 in “a small and a shallow grave” around 8 a.m about 4 to 5 miles northwest of where her Honda was found.

“Everybody that knew her or potentially would have had any contact with her at that time period, we want to talk to at this point,” said Wells. “It has certainly not gotten to the point where we can identify whether the suspect is even male or female or who we’re looking for at this time.”

Investigators are questioning suspects and the case is considered a homicide.

There is a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Nelson’s killer. Those with information are encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office at 386-329-0800 or CrimeStoppers of Northeast Florida at 1-888-277-8477.

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