In the early hours of a chilly March morning in 2015, the life of 26-year-old Richard Anthony Jackson was cut short in Aberdeen, Maryland. On March 21, 2015, deputies from the Harford County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the Perrywood Garden Apartments on Mayberry Drive after an anonymous call reported shots fired just before 3 a.m. Upon their arrival, they discovered Richard Jackson in a common hallway of an apartment building, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body.
Despite the immediate life-saving efforts by the deputies and the Aberdeen Fire Department, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of the Black/African American man revealed that he had been visiting a friend at the apartment complex. Although his friend was not home, Jackson lingered to talk with others in a common stairwell. It was there that he was confronted by a masked individual. It is believed that Jackson was familiar with the suspect and had walked down a flight of stairs to speak with him on a landing. In a sudden and unexpected act of violence, the suspect produced a handgun and shot Jackson in the back of the head.
For years, the case remained cold, with investigators struggling to get witnesses to come forward with information. However, detectives with the Harford County Sheriff's Office have indicated they have a suspect in mind. This individual is reportedly already incarcerated for a separate violent assault. Investigators believe that the man they suspect of the murder was an associate of Jackson's and that Jackson did not perceive him as a threat at the time of their encounter. Despite having a person of interest, law enforcement officials have not been able to make an arrest in connection with Jackson's murder and continue to appeal to the public for any information that could lead to a breakthrough in the case.
