In the early morning hours of November 11, 2014, the life of 31-year-old Quincy Eugene McGowan, a male from Jackson, Mississippi, was tragically cut short. His body was discovered later that day, shortly after noon, discarded in a vacant lot near Roach Street in Jackson. An autopsy would later confirm that he had died from a gunshot wound, with a 9 mm projectile recovered from his body.
Investigators found ten 9 mm shell casings at the scene, painting a grim picture of the violence that had unfolded.
The investigation into the shooting death of Quincy McGowan also uncovered a second victim, Emmanuel Jones, who survived the violent encounter. Jones had been shot five times, with one bullet striking his face, three his torso, and one his foot. During medical treatment, a. 22 caliber projectile was removed from his body. His testimony would prove crucial in the subsequent legal proceedings. Jones recounted to authorities that on the night of the incident, he and a man named Roger Lee Jackson were driving around in Jackson's vehicle, looking to purchase drugs.
Their search led them to an encounter with another vehicle driven by Jerry Lewis near Roach and Farrish Streets. An argument erupted between Jackson and Lewis, escalating the already tense situation. According to Jones's testimony, the events that followed led to the shootings of both him and Quincy McGowan. Based on the investigation and Jones's account, Roger Lee Jackson was arrested and faced a trial in the Hinds County Circuit Court. He was charged with the deliberate-design murder of Quincy McGowan.
During the trial, the jury heard the details of the early morning hours that led to McGowan's death. However, after deliberating on the evidence presented, the jury acquitted Roger Lee Jackson of the murder charge. While he was not convicted for the death of Quincy McGowan, Jackson was found guilty of the aggravated assault of Emmanuel Jones and of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
