The Old City Cemetery, located on East Union Street in Jacksonville, Florida, may be one of the most underrated historic and haunted sites in the state. Established in 1852, the cemetery is home to many early 19th-century settlers of Jacksonville.
One is Marie Louise Gato, who was 19 years old at the time of her death. Gato was the daughter of local cigar factory owner Gabriel Hidalgo Gato. She was shot five times as she entered her father’s house in North Springfield on April 20, 1897.
On her deathbed, Gato accused her spurned boyfriend, Edward George Pitzer, of the crime. A week later, the police lieutenant, who was investigating the case, was murdered near the corner of Liberty and Phelps Streets.
During the two-week trial, Pitzer attracted a horde of female admirers. The trial became one of the most sensational murder cases in the history of Jacksonville. Pitzer was found not guilty and walked free, leaving Gato’s murder a cold case that was never solved.
Visitors to the cemetery have reported encountering the sounds of weeping, strange lights, and the ghost of the young lady buried near the back of the cemetery.
Written By John G. Clark Jr.