Marriage Equality Activist Found Dead In FL Landfill: Police

TALLAHASSEE, FL — The body of a missing South Florida marriage equality activist was found in a Jackson County landfill Saturday morning, Tallahassee police shared on Facebook.

Jorge Diaz-Johnston, 54, was last seen alive Jan. 3 in Tallahassee, more than an hour from where his body was found, according to a missing person notice released by police. Detectives are investigating his death as a homicide, police said.

Diaz-Johnston was found dead at the Springhill Landfill in Campbellton, People reported.

His body was found with trash that had been collected from a public dumping bay at the Baker landfill on Charlie Day Road by a private garbage transportation company and brought to Campbellton, Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office shared on Facebook Sunday.

The brother of former Miami mayor and Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz, Diaz-Johnston was a trailblazing LGBTQ advocate.

He and his husband were plaintiffs in an historic 2014 lawsuit that led to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Miami-Dade County, ABC News reported. A South Florida circuit court judge sided with the six couples suing the Miami-Dade County Clerk’s Office for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Florida dropped its ban on gay marriage in 2015.

Don Diaz-Johnston shared the news about his husband’s death on Facebook Wednesday, writing, “He touched so many people with his kind and generous heart.”

Manny Diaz also shared a tribute to his brother Thursday, tweeting, “I am profoundly appreciative of the outpouring of support shown to me, my brother-in-law Don, and my family after the loss of my brother, Jorge Diaz-Johnston. My brother was such a special gift to this world whose heart and legacy will continue to live on for generations to come.”

Equality Florida, an LGBTQ advocacy group, tweeted, “We are heartbroken to learn of the death of Jorge. He and his husband Don were two of the brave plaintiffs who took on Florida’s anti-gay marriage ban and helped win marriage equality for all Floridians. Our deepest condolences to Don and Jorge’s extended family.”

Anyone with information about Diaz-Johnston’s death is asked to call Tallahassee police at 850-891-4200 or Crime Stoppers at 850-574-TIPS (8477).