Arrest made in November Jacksonville homicide after protective injunction, out-of-state detention and extradition to Duval County
Case timeline: discovery in November, arrest in December, murder warrant served in March
A man is facing a murder charge in a Jacksonville case that began nearly four months ago, when a 58-year-old woman was found dead inside a home on West 14th Street near Myrtle Avenue.
Investigators say the victim, Alesa Leach, was discovered in November 2025, covered in blood on a mattress inside the residence. On March 23, 2026, the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of Joseph Anderson, 49, on a murder warrant tied to Leach’s death.
The case moved through multiple jurisdictions after law enforcement pursued an initial legal pathway separate from the homicide charge. Authorities say Leach had a court injunction against Anderson. A warrant alleging a violation of that injunction was filed, and Anderson was arrested in Connecticut on Dec. 5, 2025. He was later extradited to Jacksonville, where he remained in custody at the Duval County jail.
Investigators then obtained a separate arrest warrant charging Anderson with murder on Friday, March 20, 2026, and served it while he was already being held in jail.
What officials have confirmed about the investigation
Police have not released detailed forensic findings or a narrative of events leading to Leach’s death. Investigators have stated that evidence was located that they say places Anderson in the home with Leach at the time she died, but they have not described the type of evidence or how it was developed.
Authorities also said Anderson faces “additional charges,” but the sheriff’s office has not specified them in publicly released information as of March 23, 2026.
Victim: Alesa Leach, 58
Suspect: Joseph Anderson, 49
Location referenced by investigators: West 14th Street near Myrtle Avenue, Jacksonville
Key dates released by authorities: victim found in November 2025; injunction-violation arrest in Connecticut on Dec. 5, 2025; murder warrant served March 20, 2026; arrest announcement March 23, 2026
Legal posture and what comes next
The filing and service of the murder warrant moves the case from an investigation into the court process, where prosecutors must prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. At this stage, investigators’ statements about evidence reflect allegations that are expected to be tested through filings, hearings and, if the case proceeds, trial.
Anderson is charged with murder. The specific evidence and the nature of any additional charges have not been publicly detailed in law enforcement releases as of March 23, 2026.
Further information is expected to come from court records, including charging documents and any probable-cause narrative that may be filed, as well as from subsequent statements by law enforcement and prosecutors as the case advances.