In the early morning hours of May 24, 2016, the quiet of the Rockwell Gardens Complex in Oklahoma City was broken by the sound of gunshots. Neighbors in the vicinity of Northwest 13th Street and Rockwell Avenue heard the pops but no one saw the crime that had just unfolded. It wasn't until around 6 a.m. that a neighbor discovered the body of 42-year-old Joseph Jackson, a Black man, in the garage of his townhouse.
Investigators believe he had been killed approximately five hours earlier, at around 1 a.m.
The scene in the garage suggested a violent encounter. Jackson had been shot multiple times. There were no signs of forced entry, leading investigators to believe that he may have known his assailant and willingly opened the door. The layout of the garage offered little chance for escape, and evidence suggested a struggle had taken place near the entrance. It appeared Jackson had been retreating towards his house before he was overcome by his injuries. The popular barber, originally from Monroe, Louisiana, lived alone, far from his family.
In the wake of the discovery, forensic investigators scoured the garage for clues. They dusted for fingerprints and collected evidence, including an empty soda bottle found near Jackson's body. This bottle provided a promising lead, as it contained fingerprints and a DNA profile that did not belong to the victim. The evidence was uploaded to national databases in 2016, but unfortunately, no matches were found. Even with subsequent attempts to rerun the DNA profile in later years, the identity of the person who was with Jackson in his final moments remains a mystery.
Years have passed since Joseph Jackson's life was cut short, and the case has grown cold. No arrests have ever been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified, leaving his family with unanswered questions and a profound sense of loss. His mother and sister have continued to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the investigation. They live with the fear that the person responsible for his death could harm someone else. The investigation into who killed Joseph Jackson remains open, a painful and unresolved chapter for his loved ones.
