A 20-year-old college student from Iowa has been arrested after he allegedly murdered his entire family after his father told him to “get a job or move out.” Alex Jackson is said to have shot his 61-year-old father Jan Jackson, his 68-year-old mother Melissa Jackson, and his 19-year-old sister Sabrina Jackson to death in different rooms of their home in Cedar Rapids before calling 911 claiming an intruder had broken into the residence.
Linn County Correctional Center
- Jackson concocted a whole story for what happened to his family. After claiming that a masked intruder had broken into the property, he also told police that he was asleep when the sound of gunfire woke him up. He claimed that he struggled with the gunman over a rifle, which led to him being shot. Police did find a .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle in the home and Jackson did have a gunshot wound to the foot, Fox 5 Atlanta reports.
- Unfortunately, the story fell apart pretty quickly. Investigators noted that there was no sign of forced entry in the home, and while Jackson insisted that he didn’t shoot his family, he did admit that his dad had told him to find a job or move out, according to a complaint signed by Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden.
- He was charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He made a brief court appearance after his arrested and was jailed on $3 million bond at the Linn County Jail. According to a public defender representing him, Jackson plans to plead not guilty to the charges against him.
- Locals were shocked to hear of the murder. According to neighbors, the Jackson family had lived in the house on Oak Leaf Court for more than 10 years and never would have expected such a gruesome crime to be committed. Both Alex and Sabrina were students at the University of Iowa, and a spokesperson for the school, Anne Bassett, sent condolences to “all those impacted by this tragic situation.” She added that counseling and other support services were available for students and employees.
