Joe Starkey, 62, was shot and killed on the evening of Wednesday, December 10, 2025, during a road rage encounter on St. Johns Bluff Road South near Atlantic Boulevard in Jacksonville. Starkey and his wife, Tina, had pulled over after a Jeep allegedly swerved and repeatedly brake-checked their vehicle; witnesses and the family’s attorney say Starkey stepped out to ask why they were being harassed and was struck by gunfire from the Jeep. He collapsed and was pronounced dead at the scene while his wife attempted to render aid.

The shooter reportedly contacted emergency services and either remained at the scene or turned himself in; homicide detectives interviewed the person, who cooperated, and the suspect was released without arrest or charges while investigators reviewed the incident under Florida’s Stand Your Ground law. The family retained civil rights attorney John Phillips and held a memorial on December 20, 2025, to honor Starkey’s four-decade contribution to the local music community. Forensic evidence was still being processed and no charges had been filed as of late December 2025.

Did anyone in the Jacksonville music community witness the encounter or have information about the Jeep involved?