On the tragic evening of April 12, 2018, in Greensburg, Louisiana, 28-year-old African American single mother of four, Jermica Irving, visited the home of her boyfriend, Jonathan Franklin. Her two youngest children, ages five and nine, were with her. What began as a visit ended in a horrific act of violence that would claim Irving's life and forever alter the lives of her children.
Later that night, authorities received a 911 call from Franklin’s residence.
Upon their arrival, they discovered a harrowing scene. Jermica Irving was found deceased on the living room couch, having sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The initial investigation painted a grim picture of the events that had transpired. The youngest child had been asleep in Irving's lap, while her older sibling slept beside them on the couch.
The sole eyewitness to the crime was Irving's nine-year-old daughter. She was awakened by the deafening sound of a gunshot and the chilling gasp from her mother. In the moments that followed, she saw Jonathan Franklin standing in a nearby doorway, holding a gun. When the young girl bravely asked him what he had done to her mother, he offered no response.
Jonathan Franklin was subsequently arrested and charged with second-degree murder. During the trial, the testimony of Irving’s daughter was a key piece of evidence for the prosecution. The jury, after a three-day trial, deliberated for just thirty minutes before returning a guilty verdict. Franklin was convicted for the murder of Jermica Irving and received a mandatory life sentence in prison.
