In the early morning hours of May 27, 2014, the life of 34-year-old Rashawn Jackson, a female resident of Atlanta, Georgia, was tragically cut short. Inside her apartment at the Venetian Hills complex in the southwest of the city, a knock at the door led to a fatal encounter. When she answered, she was shot in the head. Her mother and sister, who were also in the apartment, made the horrific discovery, finding her lying in a pool of blood.
Her sister immediately called 911, but upon arrival, emergency responders pronounced Rashawn dead at the scene.
Investigators quickly determined that the shooting was not a random act of violence, believing the perpetrator was someone Rashawn knew. Suspicion soon fell upon her ex-boyfriend, Maurice Nesbitt, an aspiring rapper who went by the name 'Mega Ruckus.' Family and friends described a tumultuous and abusive relationship. They recounted a history of domestic violence, stating that Rashawn had been on the verge of leaving him for good. The family believed Nesbitt was upset about the breakup and could not accept it.
Approximately two months after the murder, in July 2014, police located and arrested 35-year-old Maurice Nesbitt. However, in a move that frustrated prosecutors and the victim's family, a magistrate judge allowed him to be released on bond. Nesbitt's legal troubles continued when he failed to appear for a court date in 2016, leading to another arrest. His trial for the murder of Rashawn Jackson finally commenced in September 2017. Throughout the proceedings, family and friends gave emotional testimony, detailing the abuse Rashawn had endured.
On September 29, 2017, the final day of his trial, Maurice Nesbitt vanished. He cut off his court-mandated ankle monitor and fled just before the jury was to deliver its verdict. Despite his absence, the jury found him guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was sentenced to life in prison in absentia. For more than three years, Nesbitt remained a fugitive, his case featured on national crime shows like 'America's Most Wanted' and 'In Pursuit with John Walsh.'
The long search for the convicted killer came to an end on April 19, 2021. Acting on an anonymous tip received by Crime Stoppers, U.S. Marshals located Nesbitt in Birmingham, Alabama. When confronted, he initially provided a false name, but his identity was confirmed by his tattoos. He was arrested without incident and extradited back to Georgia to finally begin serving his life sentence. Maurice Nesbitt is currently incarcerated at the Coastal State Prison in Savannah, Georgia.
