JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A Jacksonville man is pleading for help to solve his loved ones’ murder case.
Mario Peterson says he’s waited for four years now for an arrest and another holiday is approaching with no luck.
Ariyan Johnson, Qua’Sean Trotter and their baby daughter, Arielle Johnson, were killed on December 12, 2017.
Police say Ariyan and Qua’Sean were shot and their Christmas tree was set on fire.
Baby Arielle died from smoke inhalation.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office says the three lived in an apartment in Jacksonville, but that night, they stayed at a friend’s house on India Avenue near Arlington.
First Coast News reached out to JSO for more updates and we are currently waiting to hear back.
In the meantime, Peterson says he’s using his voice to bring more attention to the case.
“We still have not found any clues as to how they were killed or why they were killed or anything like that,” said Peterson.
Peterson was married into the family but says he was excited to have Ariyan and Arielle as granddaughters.
He says the day they were killed was a double loss for him.
“Just to lose that part of me out of that family like that… it still devastates me to this day. I can’t have any kind of closure. Christmas time comes around and everybody should be happy, but not me. It’s just terrible,” he said.
First Coast News spoke with Ariyan’s mother and Qua’Sean’s mother in May.
The family believes the murders were the result of a robbery. Police have not confirmed their theory.
If you know anything about the triple murder, please contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-0500.
You can always call Crimestoppers, also at 1-866-845-TIPS (8477).