JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has arrested a retired JSO officer and his ex-wife for a cold case from 1999 that happened in the Deerwood area.
Back in January, Action News Jax did a story on the 1999 cold case with Project Cold Case.
On May 17, 1999 around 9:30 a.m., Saad Kawaf’s life was violently taken inside his Deerwood home, according to JSO Detective Margaret Rhatigan who had taken over the case.
JSO submitted DNA and other evidence to be tested but so far, no suspects have been publicly identified until today.
About 2 weeks ago, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement lab gave detectives potential suspect names.
64-year-old William Baer Jr., a retired JSO officer and Melissa Joe Schaffer, 50.
Schaffer was taken into custody Thursday in Jefferson City, MO and Baer was taken into custody Wednesday by JSO.
According to JSO, Baer was an active JSO officer at the time of the murder. His acquaintance with the victim stems directly from his assignment at JSO.
A statement from the victim’s family:
A statement from the State Attorney’s Office
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