Lawanna Ruth McDaniel, 44, was found shot and deceased on December 5, 2014, in a ditch near Yellow Water and Wells roads on Jacksonville’s Westside. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded about 9:50 a.m. and identified McDaniel as the victim. It was unclear whether the shooting occurred at the location where her body was found or elsewhere.

The case became a homicide investigation but quickly ran into problems: there were no immediate leads or witnesses, and detectives were unable to reconstruct the events that led to McDaniel’s death. In June 2024 the JSO featured the case in its Cold Case Spotlight; Detective Harmoni Brooks was listed as the investigator and authorities continued to ask the public for help. No arrests have been announced and no suspects have been publicly identified.

Is there anyone who knew Lawanna McDaniel or who might have information about her movements in early December 2014?