Cierra LaChelle Jackson, a 20-year-old African American woman from Richmond, Virginia, was found dead on July 22, 2021, near an I-85 exit ramp in Vance County, North Carolina. Her body was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds, and the Vance County Sheriff's Office confirmed that she had been shot multiple times. The investigation revealed that Jackson's body was found on the side of the interstate, and she was pronounced dead at the scene by local EMS.
The suspect in Jackson's murder,
Tikeise Kenshaun Johnson, a 20-year-old African American man from Richmond, Virginia, was arrested in Dinwiddie, Virginia, hours after Jackson's body was found. Johnson was initially arrested for a robbery of a convenience store in Dinwiddie, during which he injured a K-9 officer and committed indecent exposure. He was also wanted on criminal charges in Richmond for stealing a firearm. Johnson is being held without bond and will eventually be charged with first-degree murder in Vance County.
Jackson's parents, Corey Jackson and Tanika Scott-Jackson, described their daughter as a loving and affectionate person with a bubbly personality. She graduated from Lee Davis High School in 2018, received her associate degree from Richard Bland College of William and Mary, and was enrolled to start at Norfolk State University in the fall to study psychology. Jackson was very active in her church, Hood Temple A.M.D. Zion Church, and was the coach of the praise dance team. Her sudden death has left her family devastated and struggling to cope with the loss.
The investigation into Jackson's murder is ongoing, and authorities are working to piece together the events that led to her death. Johnson's erratic behavior during his arrest and the charges he faces in Virginia have raised questions about his mental state and the circumstances surrounding the crime. The Vance County Sheriff's Office continues to gather evidence and build a case against Johnson, who remains in custody awaiting trial.
