JACKSONVILLE, FL- Tina McQuaig's case is one of twists and turns. She was a pretty young woman, married to her high school sweetheart and together they had a 4-year-old son. She left work at Shands, which is now UF Health Jacksonville, just before 5:00 pm on March 15, 2000… but never arrived home.
Family says she was headed toward her home in Baldwin, they reported her missing and four days into her disappearance, a friend spotted her car at the Walmart parking lot off Normandy Blvd.
Rice says he thought detectives might find her body in the trunk, but it was empty. For two years, nine months and 11 days they waited, hoping against the odds they would see Tina again. Then on the day after Christmas in 2002 they received news that human remains had been found near Cecil Commerce.
"I knew, I said 'that's Tina, that is going to be Tina'. She was off the same road her car was found, just three miles down the road," said Elmer.
Her father's instincts were right. It was Tina. She was found in a wooded area near Cecil Commerce, which at the time was military property. With the pain, came a frustration. Her parents were anxious to see an arrest. We asked Sgt Dan Janson with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office about the status of her case.
"I have a detective assigned to that case, however, there are a lot of factors, in that case, I can't speak to at this point," told Sgt Dan Janson.
Tina McQuaig's cause of death is listed as a homicide by violence.
"There are some people of interest in this particular case, however, I wouldn't feel comfortable commenting as to what their involvement was," said Sgt Janson.
"He is walking the streets and he needs to be off the streets," told her father, his frustration evident.
For 17 painful years, Tina's family has waited for the day the person that took her life to be brought to justice.
"Somebody knows something, I know they do and they've got to come forward. It has been too long,
Tina needs justice, we need an answer," said Linda Rice, Tina's mother.
There is no statute of limitations for murder, even the smallest piece of evidence can crack a cold case. If you know anything that could help Tina McQuaig and her family get justice for her murder contact the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office at 904-630-0500 or contact CrimeStoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS.
PHOTOS: Cold Case: Tina Mcquaig
