Essence Owens

Do you know who murdered 23 year old Essence Owens in 2017?
Essence Owens was a 23-year-old Black woman from Orlando, Florida, and a mother of two young children who was deeply loved by her family and friends. Her friend Carisa Woodson, who considered herself a godmother to Essence's children, then ages two and four months, said, "She has two little girls that need her and she was only 23, so she was very young." Her cousin, Erica Owens, emphasized this, stating, "She had a family that loved her. She had friends that... she had people that cared about her." Known to friends by the nickname "Cunchie," she faced significant struggles and was known to work as a prostitute in the Orange Blossom Trail area of Orlando, a lifestyle that worried her family. Her cousin recalled that Essence would sometimes appear at her home beaten and bruised.

Essence was last seen alive by her cousin on August 6, 2017, at Erica’s home on Columbia Street in Orlando. After not being able to reach her by cell phone, Erica grew increasingly concerned and reported her missing to the Orlando Police Department on August 15. Her family and friends were adamant that she would never have traveled as far as Lake County on her own. In the anxious days that followed her disappearance, friends like Woodson organized their own searches, posting homemade missing person fliers in what she described on video as a "real manhunt."

On Saturday, August 19, 2017, thirteen days after she was last seen, Essence's body was discovered in a shallow grave in a wooded area behind an abandoned house in Groveland, Florida, roughly 30 miles from her home. A real estate salesperson and prospective land buyers stumbled upon her remains at the property located at 16420 Douglas Road. The house was situated in a remote part of the county and had been vacant for more than six years. Investigators believe that whoever was responsible for her death knew the isolated area well. The property owner, who lived in North Florida, was found to have no connection to the incident.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office launched a homicide investigation, classifying her death as suspicious, though the specific cause of death has not been publicly released. The case, under number 170117875, has centered on piecing together a timeline of Essence's whereabouts and activities between August 6, when she was last seen, and August 19, when her body was found. Detectives have repeatedly asked for public assistance with information on how she traveled from Orlando to Groveland and the identities of anyone she may have been with during that critical time frame. Over the years, investigators have reviewed potential links to other cases, but no suspects have been publicly named or charged in connection with her death.

The news of her death devastated her family and friends. "It's sleepless. It's worry. I just really don't know what's going on," her cousin Erica told a reporter. In the days following the discovery, loved ones created a makeshift memorial with balloons, candles, and flowers to honor her memory. Carisa Woodson expressed her intention to try and gain custody of Essence's two children, who were in the care of the Department of Children and Families at the time.

As of late 2026, the case remains an active cold case. The Lake County Sheriff's Office continues to seek new leads, hoping that someone might remember a small but crucial detail that could finally provide answers for her family. "The only thing we can do right now is hope that if anybody seen something, just to come forward and say something," Erica Owens pleaded.

Investigators urge anyone with information about Essence Owens's whereabouts, associates, or travel in August 2017 to contact the Lake County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Team at 352-343-9529 or by email at [email protected]. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Central Florida CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).