Winter Haven police are investigating a homicide that occurred early Friday morning.

  • Jimmie Lee Rogers Jr., 39, found with gunshot wound
  • Rogers was found in car that rolled into apartment building
  • Anyone with information asked to call police

According to police, 39-year-old Jimmie Lee Rogers, Jr. died after being taken to an area hospital with what appeared to be a gunshot wound. Police were called to an apartment complex at 645 Avenue I NW, in Winter Haven just before 1:30 a.m.

The caller said a vehicle rolled into the back of her apartment from the parking lot and the driver appeared to be passed out.


Police have identified the victim as 39-year-old Jimmie Lee Rogers. (Courtesy Rogers family)

When officers arrived, they found Rogers unresponsive with a gunshot wound.

He was rushed to Winter Haven Hospital, where he later died.

Police responded to the scene and have been examining the scene and the surrounding area.

"At this point we're uncertain exactly where he was shot," said Jamie Brown with the Winter Haven Police Department. "It had to have been somewhere in this area because the vehicle rolled at a very slow pace to the building. But at this point we don't know the exact location of where the shots were fired."

Brown said witnesses reported hearing multiple gunshots.

His family spent much of the morning gathered at his aunt’s house. His cousin, Michelle Rodgers, said Thanksgiving just won’t be the same without him. He was the one person the family counted on to make them laugh.

“This morning when my cousin called and told me what had happened, I took off running. I went crazy and I’m still in disbelief. It will probably be forever. I’ll never get over it,“ Rodgers said.

His sisters said their brother was the type of father who didn’t miss birthdays and even brought his sons lunch to school. They said he cared for his two sons and their three sisters.

“If they was in football, he was there all day with them at football,” said Lashonda Rogers, one of his sisters.  

“He loved his kids. He loved everybody’s kids,” said Keisha Funches, another sister.

The family found out around 3 a.m. Friday morning, when his aunt Emma Rogers Williams said the police came knocking on her door.

His sister Keisha said she had no idea why someone would kill her brother.

“He wouldn’t hurt a fly,” said Funches.  “Nobody. Nobody. If you wanted something from him, all you had to do was say, ‘Can I get it and he would’ve gave it to them. Not just take his life like that. It doesn’t make no sense.”

The family pleaded for his killer to turn themselves in.

“If they find him, I want to know why. He don’t bother nobody for somebody to kill him like that,” said Lashonda Rogers.

“Whoever you are that killed my cousin, please bring yourself to justice because ain’t no way you can live knowing that you took a beautiful person away from our family,” said Michelle Rodgers.

Heartland Crime Stoppers is offering a $3,000 reward to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest in this case. Call 1-800-226-8477.