Joshua Francis, 29, [FOUND DECEASED] Riviera Beach, FL

[Faith]

Riviera Beach Police search for missing man
Reported by: WPTV staff
Email: webteam@wptv.com
Last Update: 6:58 pm

http://www.wptv.com/media/news/2/3/6/236a6ebc-a325-4ded-8172-3b7e047f8851/Story.jpg

RIVIERA BEACH -- 19 year old Joshua Francis has been missing since approximately midnight on Sunday, December 7. Francis left his home in a hurry driving a white Chevrolet Malibu four door and has not returned home.

At about 1 p.m. on Sunday, December 7, members of the Riviera Beach Police Department recovered the vehicle abandoned in a parking lot near the Ivy Green Apartments.

Police say evidence inside the vehicle suggested foul play is a factor.

Francis was last seen wearing denim shorts, a Miami Dolphin shirt and blue sandals. He is 5’11" and weighs approximately 250 lbs. He has low cut black hair and hazel eyes. Francis has a left ear piercing.

Anyone with information about Francis’s whereabouts is asked to please contact the Riviera Beach Police Department at (561) 845-4123 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS.

http://www.wptv.com/content/breakingnews/story/Riviera-Beach-Police-search-for-missing-man/SNP2sQ3w4U69tUCklu7M0A.cspx

[Faith]

BREAKING NEWS -- Police Get Lead in Missing Teen Case
Comments 0 | Recommend 0
December 7, 2008 - 7:02 PM
Alex Zequeira

Riviera Beach Police say foul play may have been involved in the disappearance of 19-year old Joshua Francis.

On Sunday, police discovered a white Chevy Malibu near the Ivey Green Apartments on Congress Avenue. The white Malibu, was the same car that Francis was last seen driving on November 7th, when he went missing.

Police say they discovered blood inside the car which is leading them to suspect foul play. However the investigation is still preliminary and authorities are still searching for Francis.

Francis was last seen wearing a Miami Dolphins t-shirt, blue jean shorts and blue sandals. He is 5'11 and weighs about 250 pounds. Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to call the Palm Beach County Crimestoppers at 1 (800) 458-TIPS.

http://www.cbs12.com/news/police_4711309___article.html/say_lead.html

[Faith]

Missing man in Riviera Beach may be victim of foul play

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Palm Beach Post Staff Report

RIVIERA BEACH - His abandoned Chevy Malibu and evidence left in it of foul play have police looking for a 29-year-old man who abruptly left home about midnight.

Joshua Francis left in the white, four-door Malibu, which was found about 1 p.m. today in a parking lot near the Ivey Green apartments, according to a Riviera Beach police release. He never returned home.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Patrick Galligan at 561-629-6032 or Crimestoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477).

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/12/07/1207rbmissing.html

[sarahhod]

http://www.wpbf.com/news/18225604/detail.html

Blood Found In Missing Man's Car
29-Year-Old Disappeared Around Midnight Saturday

POSTED: 6:11 am EST December 8, 2008
UPDATED: 9:42 am EST December 8, 2008

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. -- The car of a missing Riviera Beach man has been found with blood in it, according to police.

Joshua Francis, 29, disappeared around midnight Saturday after police said he left home for an unknown reason in a hurry.

The white Cheverolet Malibu was found in a parking lot near the Ivey Green apartments on Congress Avenue and Blue Heron Boulevard.


Francis was last seen wearing cutoff jean shorts and a Miami Dolphins T-shirt.

He is described as 5-foot-11-inches tall, weighing 250 pounds with black hair, hazel eyes and a piercing in his left ear.

Anyone with any information is being asked to call Riviera Beach police.

[sarahhod]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-1208rivieraman,0,4604001.story

Foul play suspected in Riviera Beach man's disappearance
By Brian Haas | South Florida Sun-Sentinel

11:28 AM EST, December 8, 2008

RIVIERA BEACH - Police suspect foul play in the disappearance of a 29-year-old Riviera Beach man.

Joshua Francis, 29, has been missing since Sunday morning, said police spokesman Lt. Alex Freeman.

He said Francis left home in a hurry in a white Chevy Malibu.

Later that day, police found Francis' car abandoned in a parking lot near Ivey Green Apartments.

Freeman said detectives suspect foul play.

"There was blood found in the vehicle," he said. "We haven't discovered any new leads that tell us anything else."

Francis was last seen wearing jean shorts a Miami Dolphins shirt and blue sandals.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Detective Sgt. Pat Galligan, 561-629-6032 or Crime Stoppers, 800-458

[Faith]

Missing man's car found covered in blood in Riviera Beach

Monday, December 08, 2008

RIVIERA BEACH — Hours after a man stormed out of his Riviera Beach house without explanation, police found his empty car covered in blood Sunday and suspect foul play in his disappearance.

An abandoned Chevrolet Malibu belonging to 29-year-old Joshua Francis was recovered in a parking lot near the Ivey Green apartments Sunday afternoon, but police have no idea where Francis is.

Police say family members saw him leave his home on Avenue S around midnight Saturday, but he didn't say where he was going.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Patrick Galligan at 561-629-6032 or Crimestoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477).

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2008/12/08/1208_missing.html

[Grande]

Body Found Near Where Missing Man's Blood-Stained Car Located
Police Have Not Confirmed If Body Is That Of 29-Year-Old Man
POSTED: 12:44 pm EST December 9, 2008

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. -- A body was found Tuesday in Riviera Beach, near where a missing man's car was located with blood in it.

The body was found shortly before noon in the 2600 block of Avenue S.

Police have not said if the body is that of 29-year-old Joshua Francis, whom police said may be the victim of foul play. He disappeared at about midnight Saturday after police said he left his home in a hurry.

About 13 hours later, his white Chevrolet Malibu was found abandoned in a parking lot next to the defunct Ivey Green Village apartments near Congress Avenue and Blue Heron Boulevard.

Francis was last seen wearing cutoff jean shorts and a Miami Dolphins T-shirt. He is described as being 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds with black hair, hazel eyes and a piercing in his left ear.

Anyone with information is being asked to call Riviera Beach police.

http://www.wpbf.com/news/18236826/detail.html

[Grande]

My thoughts are with Josh's friends and family!

[Amusedtdth]

God bless and give them strentgh.

[Faith]

Body found in Riviera Beach

Last Update: 7:37 pm

RIVIERA BEACH, FL-- “My heart feels like it’s broke but I’m holding onto what little hope I do have right now,” said Laura Pruski-Francis.

She’s hoping that the body found by police doesn't belong to her son, Joshua Francis.

He went missing Sunday. Later police found his car with blood all over the interior but still no Joshua.

Today a man's body was found under a sheet of plywood just feet away from the back of an abandoned apartment in the same complex where Joshua lived with his girlfriend of ten years and their three kids.

“I don’t even want to think about it I'm still just hoping for the best,” said Simone Wiggins.

“Now I’m going to be spending Christmas without my son if this is Joshua, I’m not saying it is. If its not Joshua some other family is going to be missing a family member. So, I wouldn’t wish this on nobody right now,” said Pruski-Francis.

But she also said mother's intuition is leading her to feel that today was her first step toward closure.

“I’d rather know now than five years or never know at all what happened to my son,” she said, “He’ll be home and he’ll be safe again because he’s back with me.”

Riviera Beach Police have told the family that they won't identify the body until tomorrow.
http://www.wptv.com/mostpopular/story/Body-found-in-Riviera-Beach/TuwhM0kfGE6HmoT6tcxDJg.cspx

[Faith]

His poor mom- God Bless her and the family & friends. :1222423:

[sarahhod]

http://www.wpbf.com/news/18236826/detail.html

Body Found Near Where Missing Man Lives
Missing Man's Mother Worries Body May Be Her Son
POSTED: 12:44 pm EST December 9, 2008
UPDATED: 6:15 pm EST December 9, 2008

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. -- The mother of a missing Riviera Beach man said she is praying that a body discovered behind the apartment complex where he lived is not her son.

Laura Francis wants to know if the body police discovered Tuesday behind her apartment complex off S Avenue is her son, 29-year-old Joshua Francis, but police have not released the sex, identity or how the person died.

"I don't want this to be Josh," she told WPBF News 25's Angela Rozier. "I'm praying. I'm hoping. I'm doing everything in my power (that) this is not my Josh."

Investigators spent most of the day examining the crime scene. Joshua Francis, Laura Francis and her son's girlfriend, Simone Wiggins, all live in the same apartment complex.

Francis was last seen leaving his apartment late Saturday night. His white Chevrolet Malibu was found abandoned Sunday in a parking lot next to the defunct Ivey Green Village apartments near Congress Avenue and Blue Heron Boulevard.

When Rozier asked Wiggins what authorities were telling her, she replied, "Not much," adding that she wanted to know "everything."

"All I want is my son home, that's all," Laura Francis said. "Christmas is right around the corner. My baby is out here. My baby may be gone. He won't be home this Christmas. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy."

Joshua Francis has been missing since Saturday.

Francis was last seen wearing cutoff jean shorts and a Miami Dolphins T-shirt. He is described as being 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing 250 pounds with black hair, hazel eyes and a piercing in his left ear.

The body was taken to the medical examiner's office. Police did not confirm the identification but said they hope to release that information Wednesday.

[Nut44x4]

Body found is missing Riviera Beach man

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Authorities have confirmed a body found yesterday is that of Joshua Francis, missing since Saturday.

A report said Francis, 29, died of gunshot wounds, but did not elaborate.

The body was found about 10:30 a.m. in the 2600 block of Avenue S, one building east of where Francis, 29, had stormed out of his Riviera Beach home without explanation just after midnight Sunday.

His white four-door Chevrolet Malibu was found Sunday afternoon about a half mile away, in a parking lot near the Ivey Green apartments, in the 1700 block of Congress Avenue.

The car was covered in blood and police said at the time they feared foul play.

Francis was identified through fingerprints, authorities said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Sgt. Patrick Galligan at 561-629-6032 or Crimestoppers at (800) 458-TIPS (8477).

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/12/10/1210rbmissing.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=76

[Begood]

Riviera Beach police confirm missing man's death
Reported by: WPTV staff
Email: webteam@wptv.com
Last Update: 2:52 am

Click on the video player to the right to watch the story
Joshua Francis RIVIERA BEACH, FL -- Sources close to the investigation of a missing Riviera Beach man are staying tight lipped in the case tonight. Several injdividuals are believed to be undergoing police questioning.

Earlier Wednesday, Police confirmed that the body found behind an apartment building at 2624 Avenue “S” in Riviera Beach had been positively identified as Joshua Francis, a 29 year-old father of three who had been reported missing December 7, 2008.

The cause of death is believed to be due to gun shot wounds according to the Riviera Beach police.

The victim was last seen driving a white, four-door Chevrolet Malibu, which was found around 1:00 p.m. the same day near the old Ivey Green Apartments in the 1700 block of Congress Avenue in Riviera Beach.


Anyone with information concerning the death of Joshua Francis is asked to contact the Riviera Beach Police Department, Detective Sergeant Patrick Galligan at (561) 629-6032, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477).

http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story/Riviera-Beach-police-confirm-missing-mans-death/oSzBHRbXkkG_Wux8_865gA.cspx

[Nut44x4]

Arrest Made In Case Of Man Reported Missing, Found Dead
Police Say Suspect Romantically Involved With Victim's Girlfriend
updated 6 minutes ago

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. - A 25-year-old man who police said was having a romantic relationship with the girlfriend of a Riviera Beach man reported missing and later found dead has been charged with murder.

Tyrone Booker was charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of 29-year-old Joshua Francis.

Francis was found shot to death behind his Riviera Beach apartment complex two days after he was reported missing by his girlfriend, Simone Wiggins.

Riviera Beach police detectives said Wiggins was romantically involved with Booker. Detectives said Wiggins told them Francis knew about it and was "OK with it."

"Joshua talked to me," the victim's mother, Laura Francis, said. "Josh forgave her, but they kept it going. Josh stayed for the babies."

After further investigation, detectives said Wiggins admitted that Booker told her about the shooting but denied knowing he was going to kill Francis.

Police said Francis left his apartment in a hurry early Sunday morning. His blood-stained car was found abandoned in a parking lot later that day.

The victim's mother said the suspect helped look for her son and never once revealed his alleged role in the crime.

"It was like a little bit of closure, because this is where his body was," Laura Francis said.

She said she spent days looking for her son. Now, a teddy bear sits in the spot where his body was found.

"I don't want it to be a shrine, because this is evil," she said. "Also, somebody evil did this and for that evil, he's gonna get his."

She said she feels that she and her son will get justice.

"They can't take nothing else away from me," she said. "They broke my heart. They took away everything. I got Joshua back. I will have closure when I see my son one more time."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28183379/