On a Thursday afternoon in Eudora, Arkansas, a domestic disturbance escalated into a fatal encounter that ended the life of 33-year-old Cordera Ja'Michael Jackson. The male victim, a resident of nearby Lake Village, was at a home on Roosevelt Street on November 12, 2020, when a heated situation turned violent. Jackson, a Black man, became involved in a physical altercation with a 19-year-old woman who lived at the residence.
As the struggle unfolded, another individual, identified as
Scottie Smith, intervened. Smith’s intervention proved deadly as he produced a firearm and shot Jackson multiple times. The sound of gunfire shattered the afternoon quiet, and when Eudora police officers arrived at the scene around 2:20 p.m., they found Jackson outside the house, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a local hospital, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at 4:10 p.m.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Scottie Smith fled the scene, disappearing into a wooded area near the crime scene. Law enforcement officials, including the Eudora Police Department, Chicot County Sheriff's Office, and the Arkansas State Police, launched a manhunt for Smith, who was considered to be armed and dangerous. For three days, Smith remained at large.
The search for the suspect crossed state lines, and on November 15, 2020, authorities located and arrested Scottie Smith in Louisiana. Following his capture, efforts began to extradite him back to Chicot County, Arkansas, to face charges in connection with Cordera Jackson's death. The Arkansas State Police Criminal Investigation Division led the homicide investigation, with the intent to submit their findings to the 10th Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney for prosecution. Jackson’s body was sent to the Arkansas State Crime Laboratory to officially determine the cause and manner of his death.
