Seven years ago, Eric Young and Sam Jones gathered with friends at a Lehigh Acres home to enjoy a night of catching up. But a good time quickly turned deadly, as gunfire erupted at the home, leaving both young men murdered.

Over the years, detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office have investigated every lead that’s come in. But no charges have been filed in the case, and they’re hoping some new information might generate new leads to finally provide answers and justice for the families they left behind. Young was 18 and Jones was 22 when they were killed at the Park Road home on Dec. 15, 2017. Their murders have left indelible scars on both families, who are hoping that someone in the know will finally come forward.

“Me and my family will never get the chance to see him grow into a man, get married and have kids. I have a hole in my heart that will never be filled,” said Bobbi Morrison, Eric Young’s grandmother. “They don’t know what they took away from me and my family when they killed my grandson. There has been a dark cloud hanging over our heads for seven years. We will never stop grieving until we get justice for Eric.”

“The death of Eric has most definitely left a profound emptiness that rips through our heart every single day. I have never experienced such intense sorrow. It would mean the world to me and my family to see justice served for my son,” said Carolyn Powell, Eric’s mother.

Today, detectives revealed that a person of interest in the case was just released from federal prison on Nov. 1. While the name of that person is not being released, detectives are confident that there are many people in our community who know exactly who that person is, and hopefully they will step up and do the right thing to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.

Anyone with information on the murders of Eric Jones and Sam Young are asked to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477), online at southwestfloridacrimestoppers.com or on the P3 Tips app. All callers will remain anonymous and will be eligible for a cash reward of up to $5,000.

EricYoung. PROVIDED

Sam Jones, Jr. PROVIDED

EricYoung. PROVIDED