In a tragic turn of events stemming from a domestic dispute, 34-year-old Donald Richard Gros of Marrero was killed on Monday, June 19, 2017. The incident, which also claimed the life of his girlfriend, 32-year-old Jennifer Magee, unfolded at a residence near Louisiana Highway 41 and Max Mercer Road in the Pearl River area. The male victim and his girlfriend were fatally shot.
The investigation quickly centered on Jennifer Magee's ex-husband, Jason Matthew Magee III, then 40 years old, of
Pearl River. Authorities identified him as the suspect after he was seen leaving the scene in a black 2015 GMC Sierra. The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff's Office launched a search for Magee, cautioning the public that he was considered armed and dangerous.
The manhunt concluded the following afternoon, Tuesday, June 20, when Magee was spotted emerging from a wooded area along Interstate 59 near Pearl River. He surrendered to deputies and members of the Pearl River Police Department without incident. It is believed that he may have abandoned his truck and spent the night in the woods.
Following his arrest, Jason Matthew Magee III was indicted by a St. Tammany Parish grand jury on September 21, 2017. He faced two counts of first-degree murder for the shooting deaths of Donald Gros and Jennifer Magee. The case was described by Sheriff Randy Smith as a 'domestic violence incident, which turned deadly.'
