Amari Rashad Gooding, a 20-year-old African American male from Lima, Ohio, tragically passed away on October 8, 2016. He was born on February 2, 1996, and was a 2015 graduate of Elida High School. Amari was employed at DTR Industries in Bluffton, Ohio, and was an active member of Cornerstone Harvest Church, where he volunteered in the sound department.
On the night of his death, Amari was shot outside the Main Street Irish Pub in downtown Lima.
The incident occurred in the early morning hours, and Amari succumbed to his injuries at St. Rita’s Medical Center. The investigation into his death led to the arrest of Cory L. Jackson, a 20-year-old resident of Lima. Jackson was charged with murder and aggravated robbery, both with firearm specifications.
The case against Jackson was built primarily on the testimony of Trey Ackles, who claimed that Jackson robbed him at gunpoint in the parking lot of the pub. When Amari intervened to help Ackles, Jackson allegedly pointed a gun at Amari and fired. However, there were conflicting accounts of the events, with some witnesses stating that Jackson did not have a gun and that the confrontation escalated without any firearm involved.
In February 2018, a jury found Cory L. Jackson guilty of murder and aggravated robbery. Jackson faced a prison term of 18 years to life for the murder charge and additional time for the aggravated robbery charge. The court sentenced him to life in prison with parole eligibility after serving 30 years.
The tragic death of Amari Gooding and the subsequent legal proceedings against Cory L. Jackson brought significant attention to the issues of violence and gun crime in Lima, Ohio. The case highlighted the importance of community safety and the need for effective law enforcement measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
