Decapitation victim identified, JPD brings in federal agencies
Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance, flanked by Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart on Monday, introduced an arsenal of federal partners now working two weekend homicides with his department.
A decapitated head and a badly burned headless body were found separately on Saturday, leading to questions about the unprecedented violent nature of the case. The victim was identified monday as Jeremy Jerome Jackson, 30.
On Friday, there was what Vance referred to as the broad daylight "assassination" of Bailey Avenue barbershop owner Johnny Brown. Vance said police are exploring every angle to find out who the perpetrators of the violence could be.
The FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. attorney's office all had representatives at the Monday news conference in a show of unity and force.
"Obviously the manner in which these two incidents have occurred, personally I found to be shocking, bizarre, brutal, unacceptable to the city of Jackson and its citizens," Vance said. "Over the weekend we formulated plans on how we're going to solve these particular murders."
"The second incident involving the severed head and decapitated torso gave us the impression perhaps we need to reach out for help from our federal partners simply because this was such a shocking, brutal, bizarre incident that's truly unique to the city of Jackson," he said.
Jackson police say in their memory, they have never worked a case like the decapitation case. FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze said in his time in law enforcement, neither has he.
"I have not seen this in my career, certainly not here in the United States," he said.
Grisham-Stewart had said DNA processing may be needed to identify Jackson, but she said Monday that authorities were able to get a positive fingerprint match off a finger that hadn't been burned.
"The head had no distortion to it, so that wasn't a problem as far as facial recognition," she said.
Decapitation and burning of the body are signatures of some Mexican drug cartels and the MS-13 street gang, which often work in conjunction, according to gang experts.
Both the Mississippi Association of Gang Investigators and Tony Avendorph, a national gang expert who teaches and speaks often in Mississippi and is in Gulfport this week, have confirmed the presence of MS-13 in Mississippi.
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"Definitely in the penal system and there are areas of a few Mississippi counties where there are quiet members," said association spokesman Jimmy Anthony, who has documented MS-13 tagging himself.
Cartels are also present, officials said, in a state where I-20, I-10, and I-55 can be major thoroughfares for drug trafficking.
"There's definitely cartel activity in Mississippi, and cartel hands in Mexico reach far into the states and Mississippi is a part of that, also," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Daniel Comeaux. "The activity we've seen, we don't know if it's drug related. However, it's consistent with the violence that occurs with cartels. If you're looking for consistencies, yes, they are there... In the upcoming days we'll know more."
Vance assured citizens that police are exploring all angles and will not stop until it is clear who is responsible for the homicides.
"The citizens deserve better than what happened over the weekend," he said. "The citizens are in a state of shock. There are gaping wounds in the psyche of this city, people are wondering what in the world has happened to Jackson, Mississippi, and it's up to us to try to begin to restore the confidence of the 170-plus thousand people who live here."
Avendorph, contacted Monday on his way to Gulfport, said cartels are known for what he referred to as "clean murders."
"They don't leave a lot of blood behind," he said. "And by leaving a head on the front porch of a house, there's a message to whoever lives at that house."
Authorities have encouraged anyone who might have knowledge of either of these homicides to contact police or any of the involved federal agencies.
"We urge anyone with any and all information to get in touch with authorities," Comeaux said.
"We will use every resource at our disposal, including the media, to bring these cases to a close," Vance said.
INTERACTIVE JACKSON HOMICIDE MAP
If you have knowledge of this crime, please call JPD at 601-960-1234 orCrime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS (8477). Send a text to 847411 and enter "JPD," followed by your tip information, then press "send." You may also submit a tip online by clicking on the web tip link on the homepage of theCentral MS Crime Stoppers website, or submit your tip information from a mobile device or any other computer by going towww.P3tips.com.
ContactTherese Apel at 601-961-7236 ortapel@gannett.com. Follow her onFacebook andTwitter.