MIDDLEBURG, Fla. — For Davielle Manning, Billy Foster isn’t someone who could simply be described as a friend. He was someone she couldn’t imagine living without, but now she has no choice.
“He has had my back; he has had anybody’s back. Anybody. The love Billy gave was not just for me. It was for anybody and everybody,” said Manning, Foster’s friend of 11 years.
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office said Foster was killed in a stabbing on Monday night, in the parking lot of the Cypress Point Apartments in Middleburg.
Deputies said Foster was in a fight with Charles Jones, Jr., who has since been arrested and charged with Foster’s murder. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the relationship between the two and what led to the fight, but deputies believe the two had planned their meetup days in advance.
The sheriff’s office said Foster was stabbed multiple times in the parking lot of the apartment complex before he got away and drove himself to the nearby Winn-Dixie, on Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park. Deputies said Foster was taken to the hospital, but later died.
Manning said she’s unsure how she will move on without her friend. She told us they met in 2015 through Manning’s mother, but became lifelong friends in the years afterwards. Manning said Foster loved Beyoncé, dancing, and living in the service of his loved ones.
“It was a joy to see Billy love everybody else, and, now that he has passed away, it’s even crazier to see how much love that he really gave, and people really appreciate it,” Manning said.
Jones, Jr., is being held in the Clay County jail without bond. He’s expected to appear in court on March 3rd.
A vigil has been planned for Saturday, February 7th, to honor Foster’s life. It’s being held at 8:00 PM at the Winn-Dixie on Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park, where he was found by deputies after the stabbing.
Manning said Foster’s presence sparked positivity in those around him. She said that, even though he’s gone, she can still feel his love.
“He’s still here. He don’t even know he’s still here but he’s still here,” said Manning.
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