In the early hours of April 7, 2021, 39-year-old Salahud-Din Ibn Shabazz, a male U.S. Army veteran, was fatally shot in his Newport News, Virginia, home. The incident was the culmination of a bitter workplace dispute involving his wife, Jacqueline Shabazz, and her co-worker at the United States Postal Service, Tashara Mone Jackson. The feud between the two women had escalated over time, leading to acts of vandalism against each other's vehicles.
A physical altercation occurred prior to the shooting, during which Salahud-Din reportedly kicked Jackson in the head multiple times.
On the night of the murder, Jacqueline Shabazz and her children were staying in a hotel for safety, but Salahud-Din, who had been drinking, chose to remain at their residence. While on a phone call with his wife, she heard gunshots and immediately contacted 911. Police arrived to find Salahud-Din deceased near the doorway, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his head and torso. The investigation quickly focused on Tashara Jackson and her friend, Jeremy Todd Pettway.
Authorities used CCTV footage and cellphone location data to place both Jackson and Pettway at the scene at the time of the murder. The evidence indicated they drove to Shabazz's home, and when he opened the door, Pettway shot him multiple times. The murder weapon was later recovered and identified as belonging to Pettway. Both suspects were arrested in late April 2021.
Tashara Jackson was charged with first-degree murder, burglary, and two counts of conspiracy to commit a felony. Jeremy Pettway faced charges of first-degree murder, two counts of using a firearm in the commission of a felony, burglary, conspiracy, and shooting into an unoccupied dwelling. In 2022, both were convicted for their roles in the death of Salahud-Din Ibn Shabazz. Jackson was found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy, while Pettway was convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, and gun charges. They were each sentenced to 39 years in prison. As of late 2024, Tashara Jackson is incarcerated at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women in Troy, Virginia.
