Second arrest in Christmas Eve Jacksonville homicide advances investigation into Kenneth Lockhart’s fatal St. Augustine Road shooting

Two suspects now jailed in Southside killing

A second arrest has been made in the Christmas Eve 2025 shooting death of 55-year-old Kenneth Lockhart, a case that unfolded outside a business along St. Augustine Road on Jacksonville’s Southside. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has identified two men as suspects and said both are now being held in the Duval County Jail on murder charges.

The shooting occurred on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, when officers responded to reports of gunfire on the 3800 block of St. Augustine Road, near Emerson Street. Lockhart was found outside with multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

What investigators say happened on Dec. 24

Detectives said the case progressed after investigators obtained surveillance video from the surrounding area. The footage captured an argument involving Lockhart and two men. Investigators said the video then shows Lockhart being shot multiple times and the suspects running from the scene on foot.

At the time of the initial incident response, investigators publicly described the shooting as stemming from an argument that escalated into gunfire, and said early information available to them did not establish a broader threat to the public. The investigation continued in the weeks that followed as detectives worked to identify and locate those depicted in the video.

Timeline of arrests and custody

• Dec. 25, 2025: Police arrested 38-year-old Amen Mathis early Christmas morning, hours after the shooting, and later identified him as one of the suspects connected to Lockhart’s death.

• Jan. 28, 2026: A U.S. Marshals task force took 60-year-old Gregory Woods into custody after authorities had been searching for a second suspect in the weeks following the killing.

Investigators have said both Mathis and Woods face murder charges. No trial date or additional court filings were detailed in the most recent law-enforcement updates. Charges are allegations; defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

What remains unclear

While investigators have described the sequence shown in surveillance footage, authorities have not publicly detailed a motive, the prior relationship (if any) between Lockhart and the suspects, or whether additional individuals may have been present during the confrontation.

The case highlights the central role that surveillance video and coordinated fugitive apprehension efforts can play in homicide investigations, particularly when suspects leave the immediate area before being identified and detained.

Anyone with information about the incident can contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office or report tips through local crime-stoppers channels.