On January 8, 2024, law enforcement officers in Saint Peters, Missouri, responded to a residence in the 300 block of Willott Square Drive following a disturbing tip regarding a potential homicide. The investigation began after an attorney for a witness contacted the Saint Peters Police Department. The witness, who lived at the residence with the suspect, reported receiving multiple phone calls from his roommate, 18-year-old Jackson Pierce.
Pierce allegedly told the witness that he had killed 23-year-old Dalton Coleman following a physical altercation inside the home. The witness stated that despite urging Pierce to contact the authorities, Pierce refused, prompting the witness to seek legal counsel and notify the police.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers and the St. Charles County SWAT team executed a search of the home. Inside, they discovered the body of Dalton Coleman concealed within a rolled-up air mattress. The victim had been wrapped in the mattress with a garbage bag secured over his head using an electrical cord cut from a nearby lamp. Investigators determined that an attempt had been made to clean the crime scene, as they found evidence of dish soap and towels used in an effort to scrub away blood and other biological material.
According to probable cause statements, Pierce admitted to investigators that he and a juvenile acquaintance had been in the home with Coleman when Coleman began acting erratically. Pierce claimed that he and the juvenile retreated to a bedroom to distance themselves and retrieve a handgun. Pierce alleged that Coleman forced his way into the room and attempted to strike him. Pierce then fired the weapon, striking Coleman in the abdomen. When Coleman did not immediately fall, Pierce continued to fire until the gun was empty. An autopsy later revealed that Coleman had sustained approximately 15 gunshot wounds to his abdomen, hand, and face.
Jackson Pierce was taken into custody and charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, tampering with physical evidence, and abandonment of a corpse. He was held on a $1 million cash-only bond. The unidentified juvenile who was present during the shooting and allegedly assisted in the attempt to clean the scene and hide the body was also taken into custody and referred to the St. Charles County Family Court. Family members of the victim later shared that Coleman had a young son and had only recently moved into the residence where the shooting occurred.
