A U.S. Navy sailor is accused of fatally shooting his two roommates, who were also sailors, during a late-night confrontation outside their Orange Park home, authorities said. Taylor Marques Lomax, 22, was arrested and booked without bond on two counts of second-degree murder following the gunfire that left 21-year-old Noely Makenda and 20-year-old Jordyn Forrestier dead at the scene.
Clay County sheriff’s officials said the case began with an argument that escalated into a physical fight in the front yard of the residence south of Jacksonville. Investigators say Lomax retrieved a handgun and fired more than 30 rounds toward the two women. Detectives are analyzing surveillance video, 911 calls and shell casings while the Medical Examiner’s Office completes autopsies to confirm bullet trajectories and causes of death. Lomax made a first appearance before a judge and was ordered held without bond. His wife told reporters he acted to defend her during the altercation, a claim deputies say remains under review as they test physical evidence and interview witnesses.
Deputies were called just before midnight Wednesday to a reported shooting at a single-family home in a neighborhood off Blanding Boulevard. When they arrived, they found Makenda and Forrestier suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the yard. Neither victim showed signs of life, officials said. Investigators placed evidence markers across the lawn and driveway, noting clusters of shell casings consistent with rapid fire. Detectives later collected a semiautomatic handgun believed to have been used and had a pickup truck towed for processing. A neighbor described hearing a volley of shots “like fireworks that didn’t stop.” In a recorded statement released by the sheriff’s office, a spokesperson said early findings point to all three sailors having lived at the address in recent weeks.
Authorities identified the alleged shooter as Lomax, a Navy sailor assigned to a local command. The two victims, Makenda, 21, and Forrestier, 20, also served in the Navy, according to the sheriff’s office. The agency did not immediately release their units or duty stations, citing notifications to military leadership and family members. Investigators said the confrontation began after Lomax’s wife arrived at the home and argued with the roommates. Witness accounts describe a scuffle that moved from the doorway to the front yard. Officials said the precise trigger for the fight remains unknown. Detectives documented abrasions on several participants and gathered clothing, phones and video from nearby doorbell cameras. The sheriff’s office said more than 30 spent casings were recovered and will undergo ballistic comparison in state and federal databases.
During interviews, Lomax’s wife said the roommates attacked her and that Lomax fired to stop the assault. Deputies said they are evaluating that claim against physical evidence, including distances, angles of fire and the number of rounds recovered. The sheriff’s office said there is no indication of additional suspects and that the weapon used belonged to Lomax. Investigators are also reviewing prior calls for service at the address and messages exchanged among the roommates leading up to the incident. Officials have not reported any restraining orders or prior domestic-violence injunctions between the parties. Autopsy results will establish the sequence of wounds, which could clarify where each woman was standing when the shots were fired.
The shooting happened in a residential area lined with one-story homes and small yards a short drive from Naval Air Station Jacksonville. Neighbors woke to cruisers blocking the street and a mobile crime lab parked near the driveway. By sunrise, investigators stretched yellow tape around the property while evidence technicians sifted the front lawn. Several residents described the victims as friendly and said they had seen sailors in uniform coming and going from the house. One neighbor said the exchange of gunfire sounded “like a magazine dumped all at once” before a brief pause and another burst.
Court records show Lomax faces two counts of second-degree murder. A judge ordered him held without bond during an initial appearance, citing the severity of the charges and the early stage of the investigation. Public records list no prior felony convictions for Lomax in Florida. Prosecutors with the State Attorney’s Office are conferring with detectives as they review interviews, body-camera video and scene diagrams. Formal charging decisions, which could include grand jury action or amended counts, will come after the evidence is compiled into a complete investigative packet. The Navy said it is cooperating with local authorities and will offer assistance to the victims’ families and to personnel affected by the deaths.
Military and local officials noted the young ages of the victims. Makenda, 21, and Forrestier, 20, were both early in their Navy service and, according to neighbors, had moved into the Orange Park home in recent months. The sheriff’s office said both families were notified and were making arrangements to travel to Northeast Florida. A small memorial of flowers and ribbons appeared along the sidewalk by midday as friends quietly gathered near the tape line. “It’s devastating,” a man who said he served with one of the women said softly as he left the scene. “They were just starting out.”
The investigation now focuses on reconstructing the minutes before the shooting. Detectives are mapping a timeline from the wife’s arrival through the argument at the door and the struggle described in the yard, cross-checking statements with doorbell-camera timestamps and audio from 911 calls. Ballistics analysis will compare the recovered casings and any bullet fragments to the seized handgun. Forensic testing will also look for gunshot residue patterns on clothing to estimate distances. Officials said any decision to pursue self-defense claims will rest with prosecutors after lab work and autopsy reports are complete and after detectives finish follow-up interviews with neighbors and sailors who knew the roommates.
A first court status date is expected after the State Attorney’s Office files formal charges. If the case proceeds on the current counts, an arraignment would follow on the Clay County docket, with subsequent hearings on discovery and motions. The sheriff’s office said it would release additional documents, including the arrest report and supplemental narratives, as they are finalized. The Navy said chaplains and casualty-assistance officers have been assigned to support the families of Makenda and Forrestier. Officials did not release funeral plans.
As of Monday, investigators had not announced any change to the charges or additional arrests. The next anticipated milestone is completion of autopsy findings and ballistics reports, followed by formal charging decisions by the State Attorney’s Office later this week.
Author note: Last updated December 22, 2025.