Jody Pierce, 41, was found dead in his Bradenton apartment at the Gates of Bradenton complex on January 6, 2018. Deputies from the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office responded to reports of a possible shooting around 5 p.m. that day and discovered Pierce deceased inside his unit. The Sheriff’s Office quickly classified the death as a homicide after investigators determined Pierce had been shot.

Investigators launched an active homicide probe but details about suspects or arrests were not publicly reported in the immediate aftermath. The case remained open as detectives continued to seek leads and gather evidence; no major public updates about arrests or litigation have been reported since. If anyone has information that could help resolve Jody Pierce’s murder, please come forward to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.