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Open caseUnsolved murder

Who Killed Dennie Cayton?

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Status
Open case
Case type
Unsolved murder
Person involved
Dennie Keith Cayton
Location
Palm Coast, FloridaFlagler County
Date
Investigating agency
Flagler County Sheriff's Office
Case number
13-2503FCSO cold case
Last checked

The story

In short: An open murder case involving Dennie Keith Cayton from Palm Coast, Florida, January 11, 2013. Flagler County Sheriff's Office is the investigating agency (case no. 13-2503). Tips: Flagler County Sheriff's Office, 386-313-4911.

Our summary of the public record. The small numbers show where each fact comes from. Tap one to see the source.

On Jan. 11, 2013, the body of Dennie Keith Cayton, 60, was found in a marshy area behind his home on Covington Lane in Palm Coast. The Medical Examiner ruled his death a homicide by stabbing. Because of the condition of the remains, a formal identification took months and relied on an examination by the University of Florida's anthropology section; his name was released in June 2013.

Investigators believe he was killed inside his home around Dec. 17, 2012, nearly four weeks before he was found, and that his body was then moved outside. Detectives said no motive had been established and that they believed someone in the community had information.

When FCSO created its Cold Case Unit in 2020, Cayton's case was one of the first it took up. The Sheriff's Office said evidence had been sent for additional DNA processing and that cellular data was being re-examined by its Digital Forensics Unit.

Timeline

What happened, in order.

  1. Approximate date investigators believe Dennie Cayton was killed inside his Covington Lane home.1

  2. His body is found in the marsh area behind his home.12

  3. After an examination by the University of Florida's anthropology section, the remains are identified as Dennie Keith Cayton, 60. The Medical Examiner rules the death a homicide by stabbing.2

  4. On the first anniversary, detectives ask the public for help and note no motive has been established.3

  5. The new FCSO Cold Case Unit reopens the case: evidence goes out for additional DNA processing and cellular data is re-examined.4

  6. Still listed by FCSO as an unsolved homicide.16

Key facts

What is known for sure. Each one is checked against a source.

  • Investigators believe he was killed inside his home around Dec. 17, 2012, and his body was moved outside.1
  • The Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide by stabbing.23
  • Identification took months and relied on an osteological examination by the University of Florida.23
  • Detectives said in 2014 that no motive had been established.3
  • Since 2020, evidence has been sent for further DNA processing and cellular data re-examined.45

Still unanswered

What nobody knows yet.

  1. Who saw or spoke with Dennie Cayton in mid-December 2012?
  2. Why did nearly four weeks pass before anyone found him?
  3. What will the newer DNA processing and the re-examined phone data show?

Photos & video

Official releases, public-domain and openly licensed files, credited. Tap a photo to see it larger.

View larger photo: Dennie Cayton, as pictured on the FCSO cold case file
Dennie Cayton, as pictured on the FCSO cold case filePhoto released by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office on its cold case page · Official release
View larger photo: FCSO Cold Case Unit case card for Dennie Cayton (case #13-2503)
FCSO Cold Case Unit case card for Dennie Cayton (case #13-2503)Flagler County Sheriff's Office · Official release

Outside coverage and documents

Linked, not copied. These open on the publisher's site.

Sources

Everything on this page comes from these 8 public sources. News coverage is linked, never copied.

Official records

  1. 12013 Cayton (Cold Case #13-2503)Flagler County Sheriff's Office, October 7, 2026
  2. 4News Release #192: FCSO Launches Cold Case Unit to Reexamine Unsolved Crimes (archived copy)Flagler County Sheriff's Office, October 12, 2020
  3. 6Cold Case Unit (unsolved cases index)Flagler County Sheriff's Office, October 7, 2026
  4. 7Submit a Crime TipFlagler County Sheriff's Office, October 7, 2026
  5. 8Crime Tips (Crime Stoppers of Northeast Florida, 1-888-277-TIPS, westopcrime.com)Volusia Sheriff's Office

News coverage

  1. 2BREAKING: Body identified in Covington Lane murderPalm Coast Observer, June 24, 2013
  2. 3Help police solve 2013 Covington Lane murderPalm Coast Observer, January 17, 2014
  3. 5The Cold Cases of Flagler County: A Look at the Unsolved CrimesAskFlagler, May 7, 2026

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