Jackson Guilty of Second-Degree Murder in Gang-Related Killing

State Attorney Melissa Nelson announces that Keith Dion Jackson, II, 27, of Jacksonville, was found guilty by a jury of Second-Degree Murder. Jackson now faces a maximum of Life in Florida State Prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled before the Honorable Angela M. Cox on Nov. 20, 2017.

The entire gang-related incident took place on April 27, 2016. On that day, 23-year-old Keith Thompson went to a drug house of one of Jackson’s acquaintance’s to obtain a firearm. However, Thompson was unaware Jackson and others were planning to kill him for a burglary they suspected he committed. The acquaintance and two others were armed and held Thompson captive in a backyard until Jackson arrived. Thompson also was carrying a gun but was disarmed, with his weapon given to Jackson when he arrived. After Jackson confronted Thompson about the alleged burglary, he shot him 12 times with Thompson’s gun. The men holding Thompson captive also fired their weapons, with Thompson ultimately sustaining 27 gunshot wounds, eight of which were considered fatal. This entire incident was captured on surveillance cameras on the house.

Jackson and the other men took the weapons, disposed of them on the Southside, and ultimately fled the jurisdiction. After a weeklong search, Jackson and the others were found in South Carolina.

The case was investigated by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office and was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys London Kite and Tonya Patterson-Barge.