In the late spring of 2021, concern began to grow for 40-year-old Earnest Jackson, a male resident of Texarkana, Arkansas. His family had not heard from him since May 19th, an unusual silence that prompted them to request a welfare check at his home in the Fox Creek Apartments. On May 25th, their fears were realized when Jackson was discovered deceased in the stairwell of his apartment building.
An investigation revealed he had suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest.
The scene of the discovery offered immediate clues for law enforcement. Jackson's 2015 Ford truck was missing, as were the keys. Delving into the days leading up to his death, investigators learned that just two days before he was last seen alive, Texarkana police had been called to his apartment. Jackson had requested their assistance in making his former girlfriend, 22-year-old Mahogany Jashe Palmer, leave the residence as their relationship had come to an end. This prior interaction immediately drew suspicion towards Palmer.
The investigation quickly gained momentum as detectives utilized the GPS system in Jackson's missing truck. They traced the vehicle to a tow yard in Little Rock, where it had been taken after Palmer allegedly drove it off the road. Unable to pay the impound fee, she had left the truck behind. This crucial piece of evidence directly linked Palmer to the disappearance of Jackson's property. Further investigation and statements made by Palmer during jail phone calls solidified the case against her.
Mahogany Jashe Palmer was subsequently arrested and charged with capital murder. In February 2022, she pleaded guilty to murder and an unrelated residential burglary. As a result of her plea, Palmer was sentenced to a total of 60 years in prison—40 years for the murder of Earnest Jackson and an additional 20 years for the burglary charge, with the sentences to be served consecutively.
