Carlo Marigliano, a 31-year-old Italian man, was on a journey across the United States, exploring the possibility of a new life for his family. A taxi driver from Naples, he was a husband and a father of two, dreaming of a future in America. In July 2017, his path led him to Little Rock, Arkansas, a stop on his way to Arizona. It was in Little Rock that his American dream turned into a tragedy, marking him as the city's 36th homicide victim of the year.
On the night of Friday, July 28, 2017, Carlo was found shot to death inside his rental car, which had crashed into an apartment building at the Berkley Apartments on North Shackleford. The events that led to this fatal encounter began when he sought to buy marijuana. He encountered a group that included Andre Jackson, Charina Fort, Fanicqua Blalock, and Savannah Johnson. The group's intention, however, was not a simple transaction but a robbery.
The plan to rob Carlo was allegedly orchestrated by Blalock. As the events unfolded, Jackson pulled out a gun and demanded money from Marigliano. When Carlo attempted to drive away, Jackson shot him, leading to the fatal crash. The investigation that followed led police to the suspects. A week after the shooting, Andre Jackson was arrested and charged with capital murder. His accomplice, Charina Fort, was also sought by the police and subsequently arrested.
In the course of the legal proceedings, Andre Jackson pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. Charina Fort pleaded not guilty to her capital murder charge. The case also saw a brief, alarming period where Jackson was mistakenly released from prison in 2018 while serving a sentence for a separate crime before being taken back into custody. The tragic end to Carlo Marigliano's journey left his family grieving an immeasurable loss, their hopes for a new beginning shattered in an act of violence.
