Duval County Jury Finds Salter Guilty of Manslaughter

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that a Duval County jury found Xavier Salter guilty of Manslaughter. With the verdict, Salter faces up to 15 years in Florida State Prison. The Honorable Lindsay Tygart will sentence Salter at a later date.

On May 29, 2023, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office responded to Lenox Avenue to assist Jacksonville Fire and Rescue after they found a body inside a burned car. The Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death was blunt force trauma, thermal injuries, and inhalation of products of combustion. The next day, a Crime Stopper tip indicated Salter and a co-defendant were responsible. The investigation uncovered Salter, the co-defendant, and the victim were transient and frequented the property on Lenox Avenue and the abandoned car, both of which were used as shelter. Officers interviewed Salter, and he said the victim had stolen and eaten their food. He and the co-defendant beat up the victim and demanded answers. The victim said he would report them to police for trying to kill him. The co-defendant reportedly instructed Salter to leave, and he would kill the victim. Video surveillance from a nearby business showed Salter running away from the scene 3 minutes before black smoke started coming from the area and JFRD arrived on scene.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Jaclyn Blair and Loana Nardoni.