Jerome Jackson | Homicide Watch Chicago

Friend: Jerren Jackson took in troubled teens

Michael Lansu — Fri, 15 May 2015 11:17:09 -0500

Jerren Jackson / Submitted photo

BY MATT McCALL
Homicide Watch Chicago

Every August, Jerren Jackson hosted a barbecue in Washington Park for her friends and family.

The gathering usually attracted more than 50 people, including her four children and several of their friends that she took in when they were troubled teenagers with no place else to go, friends said.

Jackson, 53, will not be grilling ribs this summer after she was stabbed and beaten to death May 5 at her West Ridge home.

Prosecutors claim Jackson's son, 24-year-old Jerome Jackson, slit her throat because he thought she was stealing money from him. He was charged with first-degree murder and is being held on $1.5 million bond.

Myeko Ohana, 37, said she was friends with Jerren Jackson's daughter and lived with the Jackson family as a teenager. She said Jerren Jackson always treated her like a biological child.

"She loved everybody the same," Ohana said. "If you needed a place to stay, and you were friends with her children, you could stay."

Tiffany Stallworth, 36, said she too was a close friend of Jerren Jackson's daughter. Stallworth said she considers Jarren Jackson her adopted mother, and is proud her funeral services will be standing room only.

"She was was warm, kind, funny and everybody loved her," Stallworth said. "One thing that stood out about Jerren is that she was family oriented. She loved and had a gratifying relationship of all of her children, biological and otherwise."

Prosecutors said it was one of Jackson's biological children who killed her.

Jerren Jackson / Submitted photo

The day Jerren Jackson was killed, neighbors saw a woman run from the home and called 911. When police found her body in her apartment in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue, she had been stabbed multiple times and had a piece of a dinner plate embedded in her cheek. She had a "severe slice wound from ear to ear on her throat," multiple cuts on her head and face, a stab wound to the chest and defensive wounds on her hands, prosecutors said.

Responding officers saw Jerome Jackson exit the apartment building wearing nothing but boxer shorts and socks, prosecutors said. Jerome Jackson, who was covered in blood, walked to a nearby convenience store and took a beer without paying, Abraham said.

The officers stopped Jerome Jackson, who had two cuts on his hands, and he told officers he got the cuts when he stabbed his mother, prosecutors said.

While in custody, Jerome Jackson gave a recorded statement admitting to beating and stabbing his mother because he thought she was stealing his money.

A public defender said Jerome Jackson has “severe mental health issues.” He will be back in court on May 26.

Prosecutors: Jerome Jackson beat, stabbed mother to death at West Ridge home

Michael Lansu — Mon, 11 May 2015 14:09:43 -0500

Jerome Jackson / Photo from Chicago Police

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

A North Side man beat his 53-year-old mother and slit her throat because he thought she was stealing money from him, prosecutors said.

When police found Jerren Jackson's lifeless body in the family's West Ridge home, she had been stabbed multiple times and had a piece of a dinner plate embedded in her cheek. She had a "severe slice wound from ear to ear on her throat," multiple cuts on her head and face, a stab wound to the chest and defensive wounds on her hands, prosecutors said.

Her son, 24-year-old Jerome Jackson, was charged with first-degree murder for the May 5 attack in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue, authorities said.

About 4 p.m. that day, neighbors saw Jerome Jackson's sister run from the home and called 911, said Assistant State's Attorney Enrique Abraham.

Responding officers saw Jerome Jackson exit the apartment building wearing nothing but boxers shorts and socks, prosecutors said.

Jerome Jackson, who was covered in blood, walked to a nearby convenience store and took a beer without paying, Abraham said.

The officers stopped Jerome Jackson, who had two cuts on his hands, and he told officers he got the cuts when he stabbed his mother, prosecutors said.

Emergency personnel found blood outside their apartment door and Jerren Jackson's bloody body on the living room floor, Abraham said. She was declared dead at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office, which ruled her death a homicide.

Police recovered a dinner plate and two knives, one of which had a bent blade, prosecutors said.

While in custody, Jerome Jackson gave a recorded statement admitting to beating and stabbing his mother because he thought she was stealing his money.

Jerome Jackson was admitted to an area hospital and charged with first-degree murder May 6, authorities said.

A public defender said Jerome Jackson has "severe mental health issues."

On Monday, Judge Donald Panarese ordered Jerome Jackson held on $1.5 million bond and issued a next court date of May 26.

WEEK IN REVIEW: Six killed throughout Chicago

Michael Lansu — Mon, 11 May 2015 09:09:36 -0500

BY MICHAEL LANSU
Homicide Watch Chicago

Six people were killed throughout Chicago last week, including a 53-year-old woman who was stabbed and a 5-year-old girl who was beaten to death.

Two men were shot to death over the weekend, when at least 21 other people were wounded by gunfire.

The most recent killing happened when 23-year-old Theo Hike was shot multiple times in the 7400 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in Greater Grand Crossing about 11:55 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Hike, of the 7300 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue, died early Sunday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

In Englewood, 22-year-old Marcus D. Franklin was on a sidewalk in the 7200 block of South Green Street when a gunman walked up and repeatedly shot him in the chest and neck about 12:55 p.m. Saturday, authorities said.

Franklin, of the 700 block of West 61st Street, was declared dead at Holy Cross Hospital less than an hour later, according to the medical examiner’s office.

On Thursday, 28-year-old Antonio Galtney was shot multiple times in the 7000 block of South Sangamon Street in Englewood about 7:25 p.m., authorities said.

Galtney, of the 500 block of East 51st Street, died less than an hour later at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the medical examiner’s office.

In the South Chicago community, 5-year-old Verna Tobicoe was found unresponsive at her home in the 8300 block of South Brandon Avenue about 12:15 p.m. Thursday and was declared dead at South Shore Hospital less than an hour later, authorities said.

An autopsy determined Verna died from internal injuries from multiple blunt force impacts, and her death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Verna’s stepmother, 27-year-old Lisamarie Villasana, was charged with first-degree murder and Judge Adam Bourgeois Jr. ordered her held without bond Saturday, authorities said.

On Tuesday, 53-year-old Jerren Jackson was stabbed to death at her home in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue in the West Ridge community about 4 p.m., authorities said.

Her son, 24-year-old Jerome Jackson, was charged with first degree murder and is expected to appear in court Monday for a bond hearing, authorities said.

The killing started when 26-year-old Joseph Williams was stabbed to death during a fight with his girlfriend at his apartment in the 10700 block of South Bensley Avenue in the South Deering community about 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

The girlfriend was initially taken into custody, but she was later released without being charged, police said.

In 2015, the medical examiner’s office has ruled at least 132 Chicago deaths a homicide, including one person fatally shot by police.

Police: Jerome Jackson fatally stabbed 53-year-old mother in West Ridge

Michael Lansu — Thu, 07 May 2015 14:54:23 -0500

Jerome Jackson / Photo from Chicago Police

A North Side man has been charged with murder for allegedly stabbing his mother to death during a Tuesday afternoon domestic dispute in the West Ridge community.

Jerren Jackson, 53, was fatally stabbed in the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue about 4 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said.

Jackson, who lived on the block, died at the scene, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Her son, 24-year-old Jerome Jackson, was charged with first degree murder Wednesday, police said.

Jerome Jackson, also of the 6200 block of North Bell Avenue, was scheduled to appear in bond court Thursday, but the hearing was rescheduled for Monday because he was in the hospital.

-- Sun-Times Media Wire