Post by Scumhunter on Sept 22, 2015 9:17:49 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: Boca Raton P.D. website)
Maria Jackson was a troubled 19-year old who was murdered before she ever had a chance to turn her life around. Her friend wrote to AMW, and had the case featured on the website as a "My Story" where a victim's friend or family member tells part of the story. Below is the archived case, with her friend (Stephaine)'s commentary in italics:
In 1995, Stephaine Michaels moved to Florida to help care for her mother. There she met Maria Jackson, a neighbor, and they became fast friends. They spent all their free time together and shared everything. When Stephaine married, Maria was a bridesmaid and when Stephaine had a baby, she asked Maria to be her son's godmother.
Maria had had a troubled life. When she was very young she was in a tragic car accident which nearly claimed her life and left her with scars on her head. As a young girl she was often left to care for her younger sisters and it forced her to grow up at an early age. Near the end of high school, she was forced to leave her mother's home so she got an apartment and worked to finish high school with honors. She worked two jobs and was preparing to go to college on a scholarship from Duke University.
In June, 2003, Stephaine spent a month in New York visiting with her family and friends. On June 27, two days before she was scheduled to come home, she spoke with Maria on her cell phone. Maria gave her all the latest gossip and said she was going to hang out with some friends in Miami.
Friend's Fears Confirmed - Maria Was Missing
I told her "Be careful, I love you, and talk to you later." She told me she loved me and couldn't wait for me to come home.
Later that night, around 2:15 am she called again, only this time I was in a deep sleep and missed her call. I didn't know that at the time that would be the last call she would make from her cell phone, EVER.
Stephaine became concerned about Maria when she didn't answer her cell phone the next morning or return her call later that day. For two days Stephaine left Maria messages and became more and more concerned.
It wasn't like Maria to not return calls or to let her friend worry about her. Stephaine called people back home in Florida and asked them to check on Maria, but nobody was available.
When Stephaine finally returned to Florida on June 29, she called the police and went to Maria's apartment. Maria's car was parked outside but she didn't answer her door. The police got a ladder and entered the apartment through her balcony.
When the police opened the door for us to come into the apartment I noticed almost immediately a few things to be out of character for Maria under any normal circumstances. Dirty dishes in the sink that started to grow mold, curling irons and the blow dryer still plugged into the wall and left on the bathroom counter. Nothing was adding up because Maria was an immaculate individual. Her cell phone charger was still plugged in which eliminated any possibility of her going on a trip because she wouldn't leave her charger behind. The air in the apartment felt eerie, it smelled like trouble... We didn't know where to look, even worse where to start.
There was also an ashtray filled with cigarette butts in the apartment, and Maria didn't smoke.
Body of Teen Found In Boca Raton Apartment Complex
For the next 18 days Stephaine worked frantically to find her friend. She contacted the media, hounded the police and distributed thousands of flyers all over the Miami area. Nobody came forward with any information. Then, on July 18, the landlord of an apartment complex in a suburban area of Boca Raton, FL found Maria's badly decomposed body stuffed in a black, industrial sized garbage bag beneath bushes and shrubs. Cops say the body had likely been there since at least July 3, 2003.
Cops questioned Rene Octavio Zelaya, who Maria had apparently been dating, but no charges have been filed. Zelaya, who goes by the name of "Rey-Rey" is a registered sex offender and is said to frequent Miami clubs. Zelaya denies any knowledge of or involvement in Maria's death.
The Boca Raton Police Services Department is offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved with the death of Maria Patrice Jackson.
Stephaine has a message for Maria's killer. "No matter what rock you are hiding under, there will be no stone left unturned. You will be brought to justice," said Stephaine. "That is my promise."
Thoughts? I also found this case on the Boca Raton P.D. page and apparently Maria was a stripper who went by the stage name "Dynasty." Why AMW glossed over this on their website is beyond me. I understand it was a My Story and they wouldn't want to portray a friend's request in a negative light, but AMW has aired plenty of cases of imperfect murder victims and still managed to make the viewers view sympathy. Especially when you consider she was simply trying to get a scholarship to Duke. The bottom line is there is no excuse for the murder of Maria, and she was still a human being despite her job. And whoever killed her needs to pay.
Unfortunately, because of her line of work, there's plenty of shady characters from the Miami strip club that could have killed her, be it her boyfriend or someone else.
Admin Note #1: According to the Boca Raton Police Department website, if anyone has information about this crime, they are asked to call Detective Cruz at (561) 338-1320 or Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS.
Admin Note #2: If you have any news-related updates on this case, please contact us here: amwfans.com/thread/1662/website-contact-form
web.archive.org/web/20070824112951/http://www.amw.com/fugitives/case.cfm?id=35012
www.ci.boca-raton.fl.us/police/unsolved/jackson.shtm
www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php/302381-Still-No-Clues-to-Duke-Stripper-s-Murder
articles.sun-sentinel.com/2003-08-21/news/0308210219_1_jackson-s-death-jackson-s-body-howard-jackson
