Coral Springs brewmaster faces domestic battery charge after wife found dead in canal
Coral Springs, Florida – A tragedy unfolded in Coral Springs this week when a former local brewmaster called 911 to report that his wife was having a “mental break,” only for police to find her body floating face down in a nearby canal. The incident has shaken the tight-knit community and cast a spotlight on the troubled history of domestic disputes surrounding the couple.
Jeffrey Evans, 43, a military veteran and firefighter from Davie, made the initial call to authorities at 8:51 p.m. on Monday, requesting help for his wife, Jessica Loyd. According to a Coral Springs police report, just six minutes later, another person contacted 911 reporting that a woman was screaming, “My husband is trying to kill me.”
Police and Coral Springs-Parkland Fire Department personnel rushed to the 1900 block of NW 5th Court. When they arrived, they found Loyd floating face down in a canal near the home. Emergency responders attempted to revive her on the scene before transporting her to Broward Health Coral Springs, where hospital staff pronounced her dead. Police confirmed that Loyd’s death remains under active investigation, and no additional charges have been announced at this time.
Evans, well known in Coral Springs’ brewing community, told police that he and Loyd were experiencing marital problems. According to the report, Loyd believed Evans was cheating, and they had a heated argument the previous night. She did not return home that night. Evans later discovered that she had been unfaithful on Sunday, reportedly as an act of revenge.
The couple continued arguing on Monday when Loyd took Evans’ laptop to search for evidence of his alleged infidelity. However, Evans said that as the day progressed, they seemed to reconcile. He told police that they were about to have sex when he stepped out of the bedroom, only to return and find Loyd missing.
Evans said he went outside looking for her and saw Loyd running between two houses across the street, screaming for help. She reportedly fell in the middle of the street while yelling, “Help! He’s going to kill me!” According to the police report, Evans grabbed her to try to force her back into the house, but she broke free. He chased her again in another attempt to bring her inside.
“At that point, he realized it looked like he was the aggressor, so he decided to stop chasing her, go back to the house and call 911,” the report stated. Because Evans admitted to grabbing Loyd against her will, he was charged with simple domestic battery.
This is not the first time Evans has faced allegations of domestic violence. Court records show that he was arrested on July 3, 2020, on the same charge. In that incident, police responded to the same address after a woman stormed out of the home screaming for help, with Evans reportedly chasing behind her. The woman, whose name has been redacted from the report, told officers that Evans had hit her.
During the 2020 incident, Evans had several bloody marks on his forehead, which he claimed were the result of slipping and falling. The woman said that Evans had been drinking and became aggressive after an argument when she tried to call 911. She alleged that he punched her in the face and back of the head, spit on her, and grabbed her arm. Police found her with a bruised lower lip, marks on her left arm, and saliva on her back.
It is unclear whether that woman later declined to cooperate with prosecutors, but later in July 2020, a prosecutor notified a Broward County judge that the state had no information on the domestic violence charges. Later that year, Evans faced another accusation of domestic violence in a divorce case, which was voluntarily dismissed. Court records also indicate that in 2018, a different woman in another divorce case accused him of domestic violence, though details were not publicly available.
Authorities said that Evans’ history of domestic incidents paints a troubling pattern of alleged aggressive behavior, although he has not been convicted in all cases. The latest incident has reignited questions about how domestic violence allegations are handled and whether warning signs were overlooked before Loyd’s death.
Community members and colleagues in Coral Springs’ brewing scene expressed shock over the events. Many described Evans as friendly and professional in public, highlighting the often hidden nature of domestic disputes. “It’s hard to reconcile the person you know with these kinds of allegations,” said one local brewer who asked not to be named.
Police officials have emphasized that the investigation into Loyd’s death is ongoing. They encouraged anyone with information to come forward and stated that they are examining all circumstances surrounding the incident, including Evans’ previous encounters with law enforcement.
The case has also brought attention to the challenges faced by domestic violence victims, who may be in danger even within their own homes. According to local advocates, warning signs can include prior physical altercations, verbal threats, and controlling behavior—patterns that, in retrospect, may have been present in Evans’ history.
While the community mourns Jessica Loyd, questions remain about what led to the tragic events Monday evening. Coral Springs police are continuing their investigation and reviewing records of Evans’ prior domestic violence incidents to better understand the circumstances surrounding her death.
Evans remains in police custody on domestic battery charges. Authorities have yet to release additional details on whether further charges could be filed pending the investigation. Loyd’s family and friends have requested privacy as they process their grief and remember her life.
This tragic incident serves as a sobering reminder of the complex and often hidden dynamics of domestic relationships. As police continue their work to clarify the events that led to Loyd’s death, the Coral Springs community is left grappling with the loss of a resident and the disturbing context of a history of domestic violence that, some say, may have gone unchecked.
