The person at the center of this case
Jarvis Lamar Merricks
Missing Person · Open
9 years waiting · since 2016
Missing Person: Jarvis Lamar Merricks
Justice for Jarvis Lamar Merricks — the trail went cold in 2016, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
🔍
evidence
Lead #1Were the human remains found in 2021 definitively identified as Jarvis Merricks, and what was the cause of death?
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timeline
Lead #2Why was there a 4+ year gap between the vehicle abandonment in 2016 and the discovery of remains in 2021 in the same area?
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witness
Lead #3Did anyone witness the vehicle abandonment or observe Jarvis in the area between November 2016 and February 2021?
Jarvis Lamar Merricks, a 30-year-old Black male, was last known to have contact on November 29, 2016, in Auburndale, Florida, when his vehicle was discovered abandoned on James Avenue near Dairy Road. In February 2021, human remains were found in a grassy field near Kenwood Grove Lane, within walking distance of the abandoned vehicle, with personal effects including Jarvis's driver's license recovered from the wooded area nearby. The remains have not been definitively identified, and investigators seek information about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance and the discovery of these remains.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
💡
clue
Lead #4What circumstances led to the vehicle being abandoned on James Avenue and Dairy Road on that specific date?
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Even the smallest detail could be the key to solving this case.
Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP90717. Missing person: Jarvis Lamar Merricks.
Last known contact: 2016-11-29 in Auburndale, Polk, FL. Circumstances: On 11/29/2016, members with the Polk County Sheriff's Office responded to the area of James Avenue and Dairy Road in Auburndale; in reference to a vehicle which was abandoned in the roadway.
The vehicle owner was Jarvis Merricks and attempts to contact him were unsuccessful. On 02/25/2021, members with the Polk County Sheriff's Office were conducting an investigation of human remains which were found in a grassy field in the area of Kenwood Grove Lane in Auburndale.
Personal effects, to include a drivers license for Jarvis, were located in the wooded area lining this grassy field. This area is within walking distance from where the above listed vehicle was abandoned.
Contact was made with family after locating the license and it was learned that they had not seen or heard from Jarvis in several years. At that time, law enforcement entered the victim into FCIC/NCIC as a missing person and began a missing persons investigation since he had not been reported as such.
Demographics: 30 years, Male, Black / African American. Physical description: 5 ft 10 in, 200 lbs, hair: Black, eyes: Brown.
Investigating agency: Polk County Sheriff's Office | 21-8482 | 2021-02-25.
Timeline of Events
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2016-11-29
Last Known Contact
Jarvis Lamar Merricks had last known contact in Auburndale, Polk County, Florida.
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2016-11-29
Vehicle Abandoned
Jarvis's vehicle was discovered abandoned in the roadway at James Avenue and Dairy Road; attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.
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2021-02-25
Human Remains Found
Human remains were discovered in a grassy field near Kenwood Grove Lane in Auburndale, within walking distance of the abandoned vehicle.
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2021-02-25
Personal Effects Located
A driver's license for Jarvis and other personal effects were found in the wooded area lining the grassy field where remains were discovered.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:November 29, 2016
Last Updated:September 27, 2026
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Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 8632986834
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Case Information
Incident:November 29, 2016
Last Updated:September 27, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 8632986834
You can remain anonymous