In the quiet community of Doney Park in Flagstaff, Arizona, the life of 54-year-old Marvin Neal James came to a tragic end in late February of 2015. A lifetime resident of Northern Arizona, James was a well-respected figure in the hunting community, having founded a world-renowned guide service. His passion for the outdoors was matched by a love for classic cars, a hobby he shared with his young son.
The grim discovery of his death unfolded after his 43-year-old girlfriend, Susan Joy
Jacobson, walked into a law enforcement facility on February 27, 2015. In a startling confession, she informed a sheriff's deputy that she had shot and killed James in the home they shared. She revealed that his body was still inside the residence. Acting on this information, deputies secured the scene and obtained a search warrant, where they found James's body.
Investigators believe the fatal incident occurred sometime between the late hours of Wednesday, February 25, and the early morning of Thursday, February 26, 2015. Following her confession, Jacobson provided detectives with a general location of the firearm used in the shooting. Members of the Coconino County Sheriff's Search and Rescue Unit later located a handgun, wrapped in plastic and buried, in the area she described. Jacobson, who was pregnant with their second child at the time of her arrest and gave birth while in custody, was taken to the Coconino County Detention Facility.
During the subsequent trial, differing narratives of the events leading to James's death emerged. The prosecution argued that Jacobson's motive was to gain sole custody of their children, stating that she shot James while he was sleeping. They presented evidence that his body had been wrapped in garbage bags, a blanket, and a tarp. Conversely, the defense contended that Jacobson acted in self-defense, alleging a history of abuse by James. Her attorney claimed that on the night of the shooting, James had threatened her and that she feared for her life and the safety of her unborn child, leading to a struggle for the gun.
