Investigators said Reginald House confessed to killing 44-year-old Philip Curtiss, burning his body and burying the remains.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Nearly four years after Philip Curtiss was reported missing in Jacksonville, a Duval County jury has convicted the man accused of killing him.
Following a two-day trial and only 15 minutes of deliberation, jurors found 48-year-old Reginald House guilty of murdering Curtiss and abusing his remains.
House’s sentencing was scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8.
The case began as a missing-person investigation in November 2022, after Curtiss had not been seen for several weeks and his family became increasingly concerned. Months later, detectives transferred the investigation to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit after learning Curtiss may have been beaten to death and buried by House. The two men lived on the same property along Starratt Road.
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According to the arrest report, House told police during a Nov. 3, 2023, interview that he confronted Curtiss at his home over allegations that Curtiss had stolen from him. House also admitted to investigators that he killed Curtiss and burned his body.
Before his arrest, House led detectives to an empty lot off Elm St. in Jacksonville’s Brooklyn neighborhood, where investigators found Curtiss’ remains.
In an interview with First Coast News after House’s arrest, Sharon Fowler remembered her son-in-law, Philip, as someone who “would’ve given you the shirt” off his back.
House is also awaiting trial in a separate criminal case involving two counts of attempted murder. Those charges were filed before his arrest in Curtiss’ death.
