JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- They are some of the oldest graves in Jacksonville. But Jo Ann Orren says the stories behind the markers at the Old St Joseph Cemetery shouldn't be buried there with them.
"This is just a little gem tucked away that most people don't know about," said Orren.
Our cameras were there a year ago when vandals destroyed a lot of the head stones. The damage has since been repaired, but a new mystery quickly surfaced.
"We have more than 800 burials out here, but as you can see there are only about less then 200," said Orren.
So where are all the missing remains? Action News has learned, in two weeks, students from the University of North Florida will use underground radar to help find the missing graves.
"We think that there are mass burials out here from the yellow fever epidemic in the 1800s," said Orren.
Governors, sheriffs, confederate and union soldiers were all buried in this cemetery. And though the men, women and children there are long gone, Orren hopes their stories will live past the cemetery's crumbled walls.
"We have a mystery that we can finally put to rest," she said.
The vandals that desecrated that cemetery were never arrested.
If you have any information that could help police call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS. You will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a reward if your tip leads to an arrest.
