Brittany Booker was a 30-year-old Black woman from Racine, Wisconsin, and a loving mother to six children. Her family remembered her for her giving spirit and the love she had for her kids. At the time of her death, she was studying to become a nurse. Her life was cut short in a violent act that followed weeks of terror.
The tragedy began when Ms. Booker tried to help a friend leave an abusive relationship with a man named Terry L. Jackson Jr. On February 27, 2022, Ms. Booker accompanied her friend to the apartment she had shared with Jackson to retrieve her belongings. While they were there, Jackson arrived and attacked both women with a hammer. Ms. Booker was struck in the head multiple times and was left heavily bleeding and semi-conscious. She survived the assault, but a warrant was issued for Jackson’s arrest, and he went on the run.
In the early morning of April 24, 2022, Jackson went to Ms. Booker’s home.
A doorbell camera recorded him leaving the house with her at 5:30 a.m. When her oldest son woke up and realized his mother and her car were gone, he found blood in her bedroom and called the police. Later that day, officers found Ms. Booker’s body inside her vehicle near 13th and Villa Street. She had suffered multiple injuries, including a gunshot wound to the head.
An extensive manhunt for Jackson spanned five states. Authorities arrested three women who were accused of harboring Jackson and helping him evade capture. The search ended on May 22, 2022, when U.S. Marshals located Jackson at a residence in Chicago. After a brief standoff during which he was seen with a firearm, Jackson surrendered to authorities.
Jackson was charged with 23 felony counts, including first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, kidnapping, stalking, and multiple counts of felony bail jumping. His cash bond was set at $10 million. The community rallied in support of Ms. Booker’s family, holding vigils and calling for justice.
After years of pre-trial proceedings, the case appeared to reach a resolution in January 2026, when Terry L. Jackson Jr. entered a plea of guilty or no contest to four felony charges: first-degree intentional homicide, attempted first-degree intentional homicide, kidnapping, and substantial battery. As part of the plea agreement, the remaining 19 charges against him were dismissed.
However, before his sentencing could take place, Jackson informed the court that he wished to withdraw his plea. As of March 2026, the case is pending a judge’s ruling on his request.
