Found Deceased FL - Jason Winoker 52, from Tampa, Springhill Suites, Tallahassee, 17 Aug 2021

  • #201
Hopefully this is allowed. Katie Kaplan is a local reporter. She does stories on long missing persons. She posted on FB last night with a video that shows a shot of the hotel then pans over to the wooded area the remains were found in. It's a good perspective for non-locals. Also shows how busy the roadway is at night.
Quoting my own post to add that the hotel would be in the area of the very top of the hill, on the right, at the beginning of the video she did.
 
  • #202

The post described the remains as “skeletal” and said preliminary findings indicated the remains were human. It also stated that a group of people made the discovery just before 3 p.m. in a “heavily wooded” area near the 2600 block of Apalachee Parkway and immediately called law enforcement.

A “death investigation” was immediately launched, it stated.

The area is located just across the street from a strip mall and in between two commercial properties. It is half a mile from the Springfield Suites Hotel where Jason Winoker was last seen in Aug. of 2021.


However, there are multiple people who have been reported missing in the area. Ali Gilmore vanished from her Tallahassee home in Feb. of 2006, 48-year-old Sean Reddish was last seen August 31 on surveillance camera inside a Crawfordville gas station, and Brandon Helms disappeared from a south Georgia home in Dec. 2015.

The discovery comes a little more than two months after another set of remains was found in Tallahassee. On Aug. 4, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office an investigation into the death. That person has not yet been identified.
 
  • #203

The post described the remains as “skeletal” and said preliminary findings indicated the remains were human. It also stated that a group of people made the discovery just before 3 p.m. in a “heavily wooded” area near the 2600 block of Apalachee Parkway and immediately called law enforcement.

A “death investigation” was immediately launched, it stated.

The area is located just across the street from a strip mall and in between two commercial properties. It is half a mile from the Springfield Suites Hotel where Jason Winoker was last seen in Aug. of 2021.


However, there are multiple people who have been reported missing in the area. Ali Gilmore vanished from her Tallahassee home in Feb. of 2006, 48-year-old Sean Reddish was last seen August 31 on surveillance camera inside a Crawfordville gas station, and Brandon Helms disappeared from a south Georgia home in Dec. 2015.

The discovery comes a little more than two months after another set of remains was found in Tallahassee. On Aug. 4, the Leon County Sheriff’s Office an investigation into the death. That person has not yet been identified.

Just to note - Ali Gilmore, based on her last known location, is missing from an area about a 15 minute drive southwest. Sean Reddish was last seen - and his car was found - 45 minutes south of this area. Brandon Helms' last location is roughly two and a half hours north. Tallahassee does have other missing persons who have been missing awhile, so there are more potential victims. This isn't guaranteed to be Jason, but it's awful close to his last location.

ETA: Also of interest, the Wakulla County (Crawfordville) Sheriff's Office just posted on FB that they'll be conducting a search today near where Sean Reddish's car was found. It's about time...MOO.
 
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  • #204
I'll be very surprised if the remains found are not those of Mr. Winoker. Sad deal.
 
  • #205
I read her post. A very eloquent and moving piece. I think a suicide attempt may be possible. I looked up Long QT Syndrome. It's an erratic heart rhythm that can be genetic or acquired. It can cause fainting, seizure and unexpected death. The acquired form can be from taking certain meds like antidepressants, certain antibiotics and changes in your body like low calcium and potassium.

Taking antidepressants could exacerbate the problem even with a defibrillator. So you have an individual with a heart condition who found out they have to move during Covid, taking antidepressants that can exacerbate the heart problem, wearing a defibrillator that could have battery life issues. A perfect storm of events that could lead to self harm but just as easily be a tragic accident. Poor guy. His wife is a very special person.

I have Long QT Syndrome and an AICD. Fun times.
 
  • #206
There's an interesting comment (or two) by SJ on the Tallahassee Police post I originally posted last night.
 
  • #207
There's an interesting comment (or two) by SJ on the Tallahassee Police post I originally posted last night.

I guess we will get a definitive answer from LE very soon.
 
  • #208
  • #209
Jason.png


Not even a half mile.
Sadness. Condolences.
 
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  • #210
  • #211
RIP Jason. I’m sorry you had so much pain. Blessings to your family. May they find peace and comfort as they lay you to rest.
 
  • #212
Rest in peace, Jason :( My warmest condolences to his loved ones.
 
  • #213
I know this isn't the outcome the family had hoped for. My heart goes out to the family during this difficult time.
 
  • #214
Wow.
I was thinking of Jason this morning.
May all the lost be found.
 
  • #215
@RenW Thanks for posting here. So sorry for your anguish. It feels like the best thing to do at this point is a huge canvass of the local area-particularly the wilderness-to search for him. Do you know to what extent the area was searched like this for him?
Quoting myself here because I felt he could be found with a little manpower and a search of the woods nearby the hotel. I wish I would have done something, kind of feeling bad that I didn't. Although Tallahassee is far, I would have totally been up for a search.
 
  • #216
Quoting myself here because I felt he could be found with a little manpower and a search of the woods nearby the hotel. I wish I would have done something, kind of feeling bad that I didn't. Although Tallahassee is far, I would have totally been up for a search.
I never heard of any organized searches. So sad.
 
  • #217
Not the result anyone hoped for but it answers some questions. I hope the family will be able to grieve properly now and remember their dad and husband in happier times. RIP Jason
 
  • #218
I never heard of any organized searches. So sad.
I know Renee talked about the authorities had searched for him including in the wilderness. I can't help but think they either started too far out from the hotel or the search was not very thorough near the hotel.

Those poor people.
 
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  • #219
I know Renee talked about the authorities had searched for him including in the wilderness. I can't help but think they either started too far out from the hotel or the search was not very thorough near the hotel.

Those poor people.
Sorry, I should have clarified - I meant citizen organized searches. I do recall TPD searched - I believe within a mile but and they used drones in some areas. I'm thinking they didn't go into these woods very far, if at all - maybe used a drone to fly over but they were too thick.
 
  • #220
Sorry, I should have clarified - I meant citizen organized searches. I do recall TPD searched - I believe within a mile but and they used drones in some areas. I'm thinking they didn't go into these woods very far, if at all - maybe used a drone to fly over but they were too thick.

If I've learned nothing from my long time following these kind of cases, I've learned that it is extremely hard to find bodies in wooded areas. Areas that were searched often yield bodies after a period of time.

Although not the outcome they wanted, I hope they find some relief in closure. RIP Jason.
 

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