In the quiet, rural landscape of Parlin, Colorado, a dark family drama unfolded, culminating in the death of 29-year-old Jacob 'Jake' Millison. The last time anyone saw Jake was on May 15, 2015, after a night out with friends. When he failed to show up for plans the next day, his friends grew concerned. Days turned into weeks, and while his friends relentlessly sought answers, his family initially seemed unconcerned.
It wasn't until August 2015 that his mother, Deborah Rudibaugh, officially reported him missing, suggesting to authorities that her son had issues with drugs and had simply left. This was a narrative his friends never believed, recalling Jake's ominous warning that if anything happened to him, his family would be responsible.
The investigation into Jake's disappearance stretched on for more than two years. The turning point came in July 2017 when investigators executed a search warrant on the sprawling 700-acre 7-11 Ranch owned by the family. There, they discovered human remains buried near a corral. The remains were later positively identified as Jake Millison. Faced with this grim discovery, Deborah Rudibaugh, then 68, confessed to killing her son. She claimed that in the early morning hours of May 16, 2015, she entered his bedroom as he slept and shot him in the head. Her stated motive was self-defense, alleging constant conflict with her son over the future of the valuable family ranch.
Despite Deborah's confession, investigators were skeptical that the frail, petite woman, who weighed less than 100 pounds, could have moved her son's 170-pound body alone. Their suspicions led them to further scrutinize Jake's sister, Stephaine Jackson, and her husband, David Jackson. The investigation revealed a deep-seated family feud over the inheritance of the ranch, which was valued at millions of dollars. Evidence suggested a conspiracy among the three family members. Cell phone records placed Stephaine and David at the ranch around the time of the murder, contradicting their initial statements. A deleted text message from Stephaine sent at 3:17 a.m. on the night of the murder read, 'It's time to play!', and a later social media post expressed excitement about 'awesome news.'
In March 2018, authorities arrested Deborah Rudibaugh, Stephaine Jackson, and David Jackson. Deborah was charged with first-degree murder, among other offenses. Stephaine and David faced charges including accessory to murder and tampering with a deceased human body. The investigation concluded that the motive was for Stephaine to become the sole heir to the ranch. Eventually, all three took plea deals. Deborah Rudibaugh pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison; she died of cancer in 2019 while incarcerated. David Jackson pleaded guilty to tampering with a deceased human body and was sentenced to 10 years in prison. Stephaine Jackson, after prosecutors argued she manipulated her mother, pleaded guilty to tampering with a deceased human body under aggravating circumstances and received a sentence of up to 24 years in prison.
