The family of Jason Chatham, known affectionately as “Uncle Dirt,” is grappling with heartbreak following his death in a double homicide last week.
Chatham was fatally shot alongside a woman, Melissa Wood, in what authorities allege was a domestic-related attack outside a Walgreens parking lot in Ponte Vedra Beach.
In a Facebook post, Chatham’s niece, Aliya Jade, reflected on the loss and the memories that made her uncle unique.
She recalled adventures and shared moments, from fishing trips and late-night walks to rides on a 4-wheeler and beach bonfires.
“I wish we could go to the jetties and swim out to the rock one last time… I wish you could throw me in the air one last time… I wish we could get dirty workin’ on the car again,” she said.
“You were the best uncle a girl could ever ask for … you taught me lessons I’ll never forget,” she added.
The niece said Chatham brought energy and joy wherever he went. “You lit up every room you walked in & impacted so many lives… you were the life of the party and knew how to live your life to the very fullest,” she wrote.
Authorities allege that 32-year-old jealousy fueled Christian Joseph Barrios tracked Wood – his ex-girlfriend — and Chatham to the Walgreens and opened fire on their vehicle before fleeing.
He was later apprehended after a pursuit and now faces two counts of first-degree murder, along with charges including burglary, grand theft, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Wood, a mother of two and recent grandmother, was described by her family as a kind and caring person devoted to helping others.
A GoFundMe has been launched to assist with funeral expenses, and a beachside vigil has been planned Friday to honor her memory.
“I miss you like crazy and I am so hurt you’re gone… forever my Uncle Dirt,” Jade wrote in her farewell to Chatham.
Barrios is currently being held without bond as his case proceeds.
