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Victim in Arlington murder identified as husband of accused killer

The victim has been identified as 40-year-old Nathaniel Heath, a father and grandfather.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The victim in a murder in the Arlington area of Jacksonville has been identified as Nathaniel Heath, his daughter confirmed to First Coast News. 

Multiple friends of Heath's, including his roommate, also confirmed his identity.

Heath was found with gunshot wounds at his home on the 10600 block of Ft. Caroline Road, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Jacksonville Fire & Rescue responded to the scene and declared Heath dead, according to police.

A woman sources say is Heath's wife, Kimberly Heath, was taken into custody for questioning Friday and later arrested on second-degree murder charges, records show. She will appear in court on October 31. 

Heath's roommate told First Coast News Heath returned to the house Friday between 11 a.m. and noon after he got multiple Ring doorbell notifications and assumed his wife was locked out of the house. 

The next time his roommate checked the camera, the whole house was covered in caution tape and police lights, he said.

The incident has some of Heath's friends reminiscing about the man he was.

"He had to be around something with a motor. Something that went fast. He was a car guy," said Heath's Friend Jeremy Mosley.

It was that love of cars that kickstarted the friendship between Jeremy Mosley and Nathaniel Heath.

Mosley says he'll never forget hopping in the passenger seat of Heath's 1966 Dodge Cornett when he was just a teenager.

"We went downtown to the Main Street drag, and he let me and my friend Jeffrey hang out and met all these friends of his who had cars," said Mosley.

Mosley's been thinking about that road trip a lot the past few days, after learning his friend was shot and killed at his home Friday night.

"I was at work holding back tears because Nate was a dear friend of mine," said Mosley. "I was in awe of the whole situation."

RELATED: Police: Jacksonville woman arrested for murder after gunshot victim found in Arlington

The mother of Heath's children, Nichole Smith, has set up a GoFundMe to help fund funeral arrangements. Smith wrote that Heath recently became a grandfather, and was expecting a grandson at the time of his death.

Chloie Heath, his daughter, said he was the "most caring, selfless man [she] knew." 

She says his legacy will last through her daughter, Heath's granddaughter.

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