‘This will keep us up at night’: Neighborhood left shaken after body found near Lake City

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. (WCJB) - A quiet neighborhood outside of Lake City is suddenly rattled after Coyoete Turner’s body was found on the side of a field on Sunday. Turner was 18 years old.

Columbia County Sheriff’s deputies say this happened near Ellisville on Southwest Haltiwanger Road. Nearby residents remember seeing Turner walking along the road just days before their death.

“They had a black hood on, completely dressed in black staring down at the road,” shared resident Brandon Brooks. “They had stopped by the trash cans and turned around and walked back down the dirt road. I did not see them after that.”

Several in the neighborhood hope an arrest in made soon. “It raises eyebrows for sure. Definitely scary, but it is reality. These things happen, not just on Netflix or on the news. It’s reality,” stated Brooks. “It’s definitely opened our eyes and we’ll be a lot more cautious.”

RELATED: Columbia County deputies identify 18-year-old homicide victim

In 2018, a missing child alert was issued for Turner, who was 13 years old at the time. She was later found. Turner was reported missing multiple times since then.

“Definitely justice be served. Hopefully we get the guy and we find out a lot more information than a location and a number for crime stoppers so hopefully they get down to the bottom line and they find who did this and they bring them to justice.”

Investigators ask anyone who may have seen turner in the last week to reach out as they pursue this homicide case.

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