In the early evening hours of September 20, 2015, a promising young African American man's life was tragically cut short in Nashville, Tennessee. Eric Oran Jackson Jr., a 21-year-old student at Tennessee State University, was enjoying a day at the African Street Festival near Hadley Park with his girlfriend. As they sat in his car around 8:15 p.m., their lives were irrevocably altered when two armed men approached the vehicle with the intent to rob them.
The assailants ordered Jackson to
open his driver's side door. In a desperate attempt to escape the perilous situation, Jackson tried to drive away. Unfortunately, his vehicle became ensnared on a utility pole guide wire, thwarting his escape. It was during this struggle that at least one of the gunmen opened fire, striking Jackson in the head. He was rushed to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he succumbed to them. His death marked the 48th criminal homicide in Nashville for that year.
The investigation into Jackson's murder led authorities to two suspects, William Lawrence and Tyjuan Wallace. Metro Police Detectives Andrew Davis and Chad Gish were instrumental in the case, uncovering incriminating text messages that linked the pair to the crime. Testimony presented during their trial revealed that Lawrence and Wallace had approached Jackson and his friend with the intention of robbing them.
In February 2017, a Davidson County jury found both William Lawrence and Tyjuan Wallace guilty of first-degree felony murder in the death of Eric Jackson Jr. Following their convictions, both men were sentenced to life in prison, bringing a measure of justice to Jackson's grieving family and friends. The successful prosecution ensured that the two men responsible for the senseless act of violence would be held accountable for their actions.
