JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man has been charged with second-degree murder after police say he strangled a woman to death.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office says Malcom Douglas, 28, initially called police to tell them that the victim had taken their life. An investigation by the Medical Examiner's Office later revealed that the victim had actually been strangled by another individual.
On Oct. 22, 2022, detectives responded to a report of a person who needed medical assistance. The complainant, Malcom Douglas, stated that the victim, was not breathing. JFRD transported the victim to Memorial Medical Center where they were pronounced dead.
Police say they observed broken glass on the floor of the living room and kitchen, and broken glass or a ceramic plate was in the kitchen trash can.
The Medical Examiner's Office contacted police, who then brought Douglas back in for questioning. JSO says they observed scratch marks on the back of the suspect’s upper arm that appeared to be fingernail scratches
The State Attorney’s Office hired an outside crime scene expert to examine the evidence and autopsy report and findings. The expert agreed with MEO findings that the victim’s injuries were inconsistent with a suicide and the victim was manually strangled, and the scene "was staged to appear as a suicide."
Douglas was arrested June 23 on a second-degree murder charge.
