Two arrested for beating man who agreed to clean apartment for heroin

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Two men have been arrested after a victim stopped a car in the parking lot of a Westside Walmart, bleeding, and asking for help.

It was first reported earlier this week about the Sunday night incident, where a man stopped a car in the parking lot off 103rd, saying people were coming after him. The victim was apparently suffering multiple stab wounds. JSO traced the blood trail to the Forest Apartments on Norde Drive West, where one of the units had a broken sliding glass door. There were various drugs and drug paraphernalia in the apartment as well.

Arrest reports obtained by Action News Jax partner's WOKV show police weren't able to get much information from the victim that night, but followed up with him at the hospital the next day. The victim says he went to the apartment, where 38-year-old Eris Edwards had him clean the apartment in exchange for "a hit of heroin". At one point, the victim says Edwards left, and returned with 36-year-old Richard Aldridge.

As the victim continued cleaning, Edwards asked “where is my change”, and when the victim responded that he didn’t have any, Edwards punched him in the jaw. The arrest reports say Edwards and Aldridge then pushed the victim in to a bedroom, where Edwards hit the victim on the head with a handgun. The victim says Edwards got mad that the blood was causing a mess, and told the victim to clean it, while hitting him again with the gun.

The arrest reports say the victim heard Aldridge and Edwards speak about killing him. When Edwards told him to get a towel to clean up the room, the victim says he saw the sliding glass patio door and ran “as fast as he could” through it to get away, fearing for his life.

The victim says he started running toward 103rd Street to find someone to help him, but at one point, he collapsed on a parked vehicle because he was “light headed”. He told police when he looked up, he saw Aldridge driving toward him with Edwards in the passenger seat. He says Aldridge tried to run him over several times, at which point he ran across 103rd Street to find help. The reports say the victim grabbed onto a truck in the parking lot as a driver was slowing down, begging the driver for help.

Both of the suspects were identified by the victim through a photo spread.

Edward’s arrest report told police the victim was “tripping” and “this is all just a big mix up”. Aldridge claims he came to the apartment after buying ammunition for someone else, but that he was in the living room when two people told him someone ran through the window. He further says he didn’t see the victim after leaving the apartment.

Edwards has been arrested for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. Aldridge was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.

JSO says Edwards’ mug shot is not available at this time. They have not yet given a reason for that, although jail records show he is currently in the facility.

This is a developing story that will be updated through the afternoon.

Cox Media Group