In the pre-dawn hours of November 3, 2023, the life of Zachary Carson, a 50-year-old Caucasian male, was brought to an end in a Lowe's parking lot in Bountiful, Utah. Carson was with a woman he had been seeing, dropping her off at her vehicle which had been left there the previous evening. The woman was in the process of divorcing her estranged husband, and Carson had been offering her support and assistance with the paperwork.
Unbeknownst to the pair, the woman's estranged husband,
identified as 31-year-old Jake Jackson, had allegedly placed a tracking device on her car. Surveillance footage from the parking lot showed Jackson arriving around 2 a.m. and waiting. At approximately 5 a.m., as Carson and the woman were saying their goodbyes, Jackson confronted them. An argument ensued, during which Jackson reportedly became aggressive with his estranged wife. When Carson intervened, telling Jackson he couldn't treat her that way, Jackson produced a handgun and shot Carson multiple times. Carson was pronounced dead at the scene, having sustained numerous gunshot wounds.
Following the shooting, Jackson allegedly threatened his estranged wife, demanding she take him to their son. She managed to escape in her vehicle and call 911. Jackson fled the scene, leading to an hours-long standoff with law enforcement on Highway 191 in Grand County. He was eventually taken into custody.
Jake Jackson was subsequently charged with murder, aggravated kidnapping, and multiple counts of discharging a firearm. The investigation revealed the presence of the tracking device on the woman's car, suggesting a premeditated act. The family of Zachary Carson described him as a protector who despised violence, and tragically, he lost his life while defending someone he cared for. His sister stated that her brother and the woman were more than just friends and had hoped for a future together. Carson's family also expressed concerns about the suspect's history of violence and believe more could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
