BOYNTON BEACH, FL (Boca Post) (Copyright © 2026) — Boynton Beach Police are investigating a homicide after officers found the body of a 29-year-old man in a wooded area near 1900 South Federal Highway on Sunday morning.
Police responded around 7 a.m. April 19 after receiving reports of a dead body in the area. When officers arrived, they found Jordan Scales, whom police identified as a local transient. The case is now being handled as a homicide investigation.
The killing happened in Boynton Beach, along one of the city’s main north-south corridors, and the investigation is being led by detectives with the Boynton Beach Police Department’s Major Case unit. Detectives believe Scales was killed sometime between Thursday, April 16, and Sunday, April 19.
That window leaves several days still under review as investigators work to determine where Scales was last seen, who he may have been with, and what led to his death. Police have not released additional details about how he was killed or whether any suspects have been identified.
As the investigation continues, Scales’ family is pushing back against reducing his life to a label. In public statements shared after his death, relatives described him as a father, son, brother, uncle and friend, and said the circumstances of his death have left them devastated.
Family members said Scales had struggles, but said those struggles did not define him. They remembered him as kind, funny and deeply caring, and said they are praying for justice. Another statement from the family described his death as tragic and senseless and said they are now grieving while waiting for answers from investigators in Florida.
The family has also started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover travel, funeral and memorial expenses tied to the case. According to the fundraiser, relatives expect to travel back and forth while the investigation remains active, and said funeral arrangements may not be completed until that process moves forward.
For residents, the main point now is that this remains an open homicide case. No arrest has been announced. No public warning has been issued by police, but detectives are asking anyone who may have information about Scales’ movements between April 16 and April 19 to come forward.
The Boynton Beach Police Department has directed tips to Detective Leitner. People with information can email [email protected] or call 561-742-6113.
The next stage of the case will depend on what detectives are able to develop from witness statements, physical evidence and any information tied to the area near South Federal Highway where the body was found. Investigators have not said how long the case may take, but the homicide investigation remains active.
For Scales’ family, the wait is now for both answers and accountability. Their public message has been simple: Jordan Scales was loved, he mattered to the people who knew him, and they want justice for his death.
Additional coverage from this area is available in Boynton Beach News.
