In the late hours of a warm early autumn evening in Memphis, Tennessee, the life of 20-year-old Jaylin Mazel McGowan was tragically cut short. On Friday, September 9, 2016, McGowan, a Black/African American male, was fatally shot at the River Trace Apartments in the Raleigh area of northeast Memphis. The incident that led to his untimely death unfolded overnight, leaving a community in mourning and a family searching for answers.
At the time of his death, Jaylin was a young man with a promising future. He was a graduate of the Craigmont High School class of 2014 and was continuing his education as a student at Southwest Community College. Alongside his studies, he was an employee at a Big Lots in Millington. Remembered by his parents, Sharon Willis-McGowan and Mazel McGowan, Jaylin's death left a void in the lives of those who knew and loved him.
In the wake of the shooting, an investigation was launched into the homicide. However, despite the efforts of law enforcement, the case has grown cold. To date, no suspects have been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Jaylin McGowan. His death is considered an unsolved homicide, and the case remains an open investigation. The absence of resolution has left his family and the community with unanswered questions and a continued search for justice for the young life that was taken too soon.
