In the early morning hours of October 19, 2020, the life of 19-year-old Bradley Dillon, a male member of a federally-recognized Native American tribe, was tragically cut short in Muskogee, Oklahoma. The events that led to his death began with a lighthearted joke. Dillon and his friend, Dakota Berryhill, were at a local casino and, on their way back to a house party, they facetiously bragged to friends over the phone about winning $10,000.
This fabricated claim was unfortunately overheard by another man at the party, 20-year-old Kevin Marvell Jackson.
Believing the story of the casino winnings to be true, Jackson devised a plan to rob the two friends. Armed with a gun and his face concealed by a ski mask, he lay in wait. When Dillon and Berryhill arrived and exited their vehicle, Jackson ambushed them, demanding the money he believed they had. The situation quickly escalated when it became apparent that there were no winnings. Enraged by the deception, Jackson threatened them with the firearm.
In a moment of terror, Berryhill managed to jump back into the car and flee the scene, leaving Dillon behind with their assailant. Jackson, frustrated and angry, then turned his violence on Dillon, shooting him at least five times before fleeing. Muskogee Police responded to a 'shots-fired' call in the 400 block of West Augusta and found Dillon lying in a front yard with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Saint Francis Hospital but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the homicide was taken over by the Federal Bureau of Investigation due to Dillon's status as a tribal member and the crime's location within the jurisdiction of the Muscogee Nation. A manhunt for the suspect ensued, and Kevin Jackson was eventually apprehended in the Oklahoma City area. The subsequent trial relied on evidence including witness testimony and Facebook Messenger conversations. In March 2022, a federal jury found Jackson guilty of murder in Indian country, robbery, and firearm offenses. He was sentenced to two life terms in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in the senseless death of Bradley Dillon.
