Earl Ervin

Do you know who killed 55 year old Earl D. Ervin in 1987?
For decades, the murder of Earl D. Ervin has remained a painful, unanswered question for his loved ones and a puzzle for law enforcement in Florida's capital. A 55-year-old Caucasian man, Earl was found killed on a quiet weekend in the summer of 1987, leaving behind a case that has grown cold but has never been forgotten by investigators. Little is publicly known about his personal life, his family, or his role at his workplace, but his violent death is a stark entry in the city's list of unsolved homicides.

The day of the discovery was Saturday, August 15, 1987. The City of Tallahassee's Solid Waste Division facility, located at 2727 Municipal Way, was closed for the weekend, and no employees were scheduled to be there. In the early afternoon, Earl had a routine phone conversation with a supervisor, the last known time anyone heard from him. Hours later, around 8:00 p.m., his body was found inside the facility. The circumstances of his death were immediately clear to authorities: this was a homicide. The quiet, empty workplace had become a crime scene.

The Tallahassee Police Department launched an investigation into the murder. Detectives canvassed the area, but the facility's location and the weekend timing meant there were few, if any, potential witnesses to whatever transpired. The initial phase of the investigation yielded several persons of interest, but no definitive suspect emerged. A potentially significant lead surfaced several days after the murder when an anonymous woman called 911. She provided some information related to the case before hanging up. Investigators have long believed this caller possessed more crucial details that could break the case open, but they were never able to identify or interview her. Her identity and what she knew remain two of the most persistent mysteries in the investigation.

Without a primary suspect or further leads, the case eventually stalled. Decades passed, and Earl Ervin's murder was reclassified as a cold case. It is now one of many lingering unsolved homicides that the Tallahassee Police Department and other regional agencies review, hoping that new technology, a fresh perspective, or a long-overdue witness statement might finally provide a breakthrough. The case is part of the Big Bend Cold Case Task Force's files, a multi-agency effort to resolve some of the area's most difficult unsolved crimes.

Over the years, details of the case have been periodically shared with the public in the hope of jogging someone's memory. The story remains a stark reminder of the violence that shattered a summer evening in 1987. There have been no announced arrests, suspects, or significant public updates in many years.

The investigation into the murder of Earl Ervin remains open but inactive. As of November 2018, his case was still listed among Tallahassee's most puzzling cold cases. Investigators continue to seek the public's help, particularly in identifying the anonymous female caller from 1987 who may hold the key to resolving the crime. The Tallahassee Police Department encourages anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, to come forward. Individuals can contact the department's Major Case Assessment Team at (850) 891-4462 or (850) 891-4745 to share what they know and help bring a long-awaited resolution to a case that has haunted the city for more than three decades.