Autopsy: Accused killer’s parents, sister died of multiple fatal gunshots

CEDAR RAPIDS — A medical examiner Tuesday said Jan and Melissa Jackson and their daughter, Sabrina, all died from multiple fatal gunshot injuries June 15, 2021.

The only evidence of close range shots — soot left on the skin from gunpowder — was to Melissa Jackson, 68. She had a gunshot to her left eye, which left soot, indicating the gun was only inches away from her when she was shot.

Dr. Kelly Kruse, an associate state medical examiner who performed the three autopsies on the family members of Alexander Jackson, who is on trial this week for murder, testified there was no gunpowder or stippling at the wounds to Jan, 61, and Sabrina, 19. She couldn’t determine how far the shooter was from them.

Testimony began last Friday and the trial is expected to last through this week.

Alexander Jackson, 22, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder. He is accused of fatally shooting his parents and sister.

Alexander Jackson told police an intruder got in that day and shot him in the foot and then fled out the back door. He could only describe the intruder as a Black man wearing black clothing and green shoes.

Officers testified Friday and Tuesday there was no forced entry into the house at 4414 Oak Leaf Ct. NE, and no signs of a struggle.

Kruse said Jan Jackson had five gunshot wounds to his chest area, neck and back of his head. The gunshots injured his brain and other vital organs, and each individual shot could have been fatal. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds.

Jan Jackson also had a blunt force injury and laceration to his face and inside his lower lip, which could have been from falling to the floor after being shot.

During Kruse’s testimony on the autopsies, Alexander Jackson never looked at the television screens in the courtroom. He mostly looked down at a notepad in front of him.

Melissa Jackson died from two gunshot injuries to her head, Kruse said. She had one next to her left eye and another to right temple area. The gunshot to her eye was fired at close range, which left soot to indicate the gun was fired inches from her head.

Both gunshots to her head entered her dura and brain, Kruse said. Either injury could have been fatal.

Kruse said their daughter, Sabrina, also died from multiple gunshot injuries. She had one to the left side of her torso, which exited through her arm, and another shot to her left eye.

The torso shot entered her abdominal cavity, injuring her liver and exited her front stomach area. The gunshot to her eye injured her brain.

Kruse said there was no soot or stippling on the wounds, so the gun wasn’t fired at close range.

Each of her injuries could have been fatal but the one to her eye would have been more “rapidly fatal,” Kruse noted.

On cross, Tyler Johnston, Alexander’s lawyer, asked it would be possible to have blood or tissue on the shooter or gun on the close range shots.

Kruse said it would be.

First Assistant Linn County Attorney Monica Slaughter, on redirect, asked if size and strength of bullet would impact that — finding blood or tissue on shooter or gun.

Kruse said it could.

In earlier testimony, Cedar Rapids Police Officer Tim Brown said there was no evidence of a home invasion. As he and other officers were clearing the house for a possible intruder, who wasn’t found, they left Alexander downstairs. When Brown went back downstairs, he found Alexander had crawled down the hall to his father’s body.

Alexander again told officers a man had been in the house, but he couldn’t provide much of a description.

On the way to the hospital, Alexander told the paramedic he had been sleeping on the porch and he ran into the “man” — the intruder. Alexander said he hit or charged him and the intruder shot his foot.

Brown said Alexander, who cried “quietly and briefly” during the transport, told the paramedic his pain level was “10.” He asked if they got his mom and Brown said they were getting everyone. Brown said he thought Alexander might have been in shock.

Alexander also asked if they got an ambulance for his dad and if his sister was OK, but nobody answered him.

Ryan Dunbar, a police investigator, testified about canvassing the neighborhood to ask if anyone saw or heard something unusual that morning at the Jackson home or in the area, but nobody saw or heard anything.

He also looked for neighbors who had surveillance cameras. The neighbors across the street had two cameras but the video footage from those didn’t show anyone in the area before police arrived, Dunbar said.

Dunbar also returned to the neighborhood later to do a canvass of the wooded area to the north and east of the home because that could be an escape path of the possible intruder. He tried to walk through the woods to Ushers Ferry Road, thinking that might be a pathway, but he couldn’t. There were too many downed trees and debris, possibly from derecho damage.

He also drove around to Ushers Ferry and tried to walk south, but it was difficult and he had to climb over trees to make it toward the Jacksons’ house.

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