The remains of an Atlanta man have been identified after his family said he traveled to Florida to meet someone he knew from a dating app. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) in Florida said in a social media post that the skeletal remains were found in May near the retention wall of a home on the St. Johns River in Fleming Island, and have now been identified as those of 24-year-old Nicholas Lamont Anderson.
The identification was made with the help of the District 4 Medical Examiner’s Office and the community, authorities said.
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“While this is a considerable step forward in this investigation, CCSO detectives are still seeking information about Mr. Anderson and circumstances leading up to the discovery of his body; specifically, the persons he encountered, his activities, and places he visited from April 1 to April 7, 2025,” the post reads.
It adds, “Anyone with information regarding this is encouraged to submit a tip through the SaferWatch app. You can remain anonymous and earn up to a $5,000 reward if the information leads to an arrest or significantly advances the case. You can also contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office directly at (904)264-6512.”
Anderson’s cause of death has not been revealed. The Clay County Sheriff’s Office has not said whether foul play was involved.
What happened to Nicholas Lamont Anderson?
Anderson’s aunt, Monica Tucker, said in an interview with NBC affiliate WXIA that her nephew had traveled to Jacksonville, Florida, to catch up with a man he had met on a dating app. However, he failed to return home from that trip in April.
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When Anderson did not return, his family went to Jacksonville to meet the man from the dating app, Tucker said, adding that there were inconsistencies in the man’s story. However, he was later cleared by authorities.
“First, he said he didn’t see him,” Tucker said. “Then he said he went to the hotel to watch movies. And then he says he took them to go get cigarettes, and then he kept saying something about a pier.”
Trommell Henry, Anderson’s stepfather, told CBS affiliate WANP that it was unlike Anderson to not check in with his family during his stay in Florida. “We needed him back home. We wanted him back home. Having family is truly the key,” Henry said.
Mary Anderson, the deceased man’s mother, revealed that her son had some mental health issues. “I don’t see him just randomly picking this particular place to go to, to travel to. So I feel as though it was someone that he chose to meet there,” she said.
Remembering her son as someone who was full of life, Mary said she believes her son’s case was initially not taken seriously. “I thought no one cared about my missing Black boy,” she said.
Tucker said Anderson has been taking his medication and that she suspects that foul play is involved in his death. “He would never hurt himself, and he knows how to swim. So, there’s no way. I think it’s foul play,” she said.
