Ongoing case
Jefferson City, Missouri
•
February 23, 2026
•
Boyfriend
intimate partner violence
domestic violence fatality
stabbing
college-campus-community
student-athletes
international-students
immigration-detainer
history-of-abuse
How to use this case file
Readers often arrive looking for the victim name, the case, the person charged, or the location. This page is meant to help you understand the memorial story, the documented timeline, and the public record available so far in one place.
Browse the full case archive, explore the warning signs index, see the cross-case timeline, or find domestic violence support resources.
Victim summary
This summary layer helps readers understand the person, the known case posture, and the documentary shape of the file before moving into the fuller reporting.
Case snapshot
- Victim: Kevaughn Jermaine Goldson
- Age: 23
- Gender: Male
- Race / ethnicity: B
- Relationship: Boyfriend
- Person charged: Denita Atiyah Jackson
Location and dates
- City: Jefferson City
- County: Cole
- State: Missouri
- Incident date: February 23, 2026
- Date of death: February 23, 2026
Case status and court posture
This section summarizes the current court posture, filed charges, and publicly documented case status.
Status
- Case status: Arrest Made
- Conviction status: Pending
- Source strength: 3 linked sources
Charges and sentencing
Charges: Second Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action
Court monitoring
This section reflects core court-tracking details only when they are available in the public case record.
Warning signs and risk factors
These markers help readers connect a single case to broader patterns of coercive control, escalating abuse, and missed intervention points.
Warning signs
Risk factors
Recent breakup or pending separation
Life, memory, and case context
Kevaughn Jermaine Goldson was a 23-year-old senior at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, where he was a dedicated student-athlete. Born on October 16, 2002, in Kingston, Jamaica, Kevaughn attended Alpha Primary School before moving on to Kingston College, a prominent all-boys secondary school known for its rich athletic tradition. He brought his talents to the United States as a senior sprinter for the Lincoln University men's track and field program, consistently competing in the 200m, 400m, and 4x400m relay events. Loved ones and childhood schoolmates remember him as a jovial, calm, and quietly strong individual who brought laughter to those around him, whether through casual sports or simple childhood games. His untimely death sent shockwaves through both his university community in Missouri and his tight-knit fraternity of peers back home in Jamaica.
Fatal incident and reported circumstances
According to probable cause statements and local police reports, the fatal incident occurred just after 1:00 a.m. on Monday, February 23, 2026, at a residence in the 800 block of Fairmount Boulevard where Denita Jackson lived with three roommates. Goldson, who did not live there, had stayed over over the weekend. Jackson reportedly returned home early from work and grew suspicious when she heard voices in a roommate's room. Using a hair clip to unlock the door, Jackson discovered Goldson and her roommate fully clothed on the bed alongside a bottle of cologne that had been the subject of a prior argument.
An altercation ensued when Jackson allegedly jumped onto the bed and grabbed Goldson by the shirt. According to witness and suspect statements summarized in court documents, Goldson kicked Jackson in the stomach, sending her to the floor, where he then allegedly began choking her. Jackson told police she spotted a knife under the roommate's bed, grabbed it, and stabbed Goldson once in the back and once in the chest. Emergency personnel transported Goldson to the Capital Region Medical Center emergency room, where investigators noted he was uncooperative before his condition deteriorated. He was subsequently airlifted via helicopter to University Hospital, where he died in the operating room.
Aftermath and case developments
Following the incident, Denita Jackson called 911 to report the stabbing and was arrested by the Jefferson City Police Department. The Cole County Prosecuting Attorney's Office officially charged Jackson with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. She was booked into the Cole County Jail, where she remains held without bond. On February 24, 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) filed a formal immigration detainer against Jackson due to her status as an international student from Guyana.
Lincoln University released a public statement offering grief counseling and support services to students and faculty heavily impacted by the loss of two of their track athletes under such tragic circumstances. On March 5, 2026, a public visitation and funeral service were held for Goldson at Houser-Millard Funeral Directors in Jefferson City, allowing local teammates and international peers to mourn his passing.
Prevention context
This case highlights several critical patterns often studied in intimate partner violence prevention:
• History of Volatile Dynamics: The suspect explicitly stated to police that the relationship had a yearslong history of volatility and prior domestic violence reports. This underscores the danger of escalating patterns of abuse within dating relationships that lack sustained outside intervention or separation support.
• Isolation of International Students: Both the victim and the suspect were international students far from their native support networks (Jamaica and Guyana). International students facing domestic abuse often encounter unique barriers, including fear of losing student visa status, unfamiliarity with local legal protection systems, and a lack of immediate family safety nets nearby.
• The Danger of High-Conflict Confrontation: The incident illustrates how sudden, high-conflict confrontations in emotionally charged scenarios can rapidly escalate into lethal violence when weapons are accessible within the immediate environment.
Family interviews and memorial voices
When families choose to speak, their words help preserve memory, context, and the human reality behind the public record.
Memorial statement
Obituary for Kevaughn Goldson
A visitation and funeral service for Kevaughn Goldson were held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at the Houser-Millard Funeral Directors chapel in Jefferson City, Missouri, which included a live webcast for family and friends abroad.
verified
Obituary for Kevaughn Goldson
Open related material
911 calls and dispatch audio
Emergency call material can help clarify the timeline and institutional response, and should be approached with care.
911 call or dispatch audio
911 Audio
Follow up needed. Withheld by Jefferson City Missouri clerk while investigation is active
Police bodycam and response video
Video should appear only with clear documentary purpose, context, and restraint. Transcript excerpts can often serve readers better than autoplay or graphic presentation.
Police bodycam or response video
Body Camera/Dashcam Footage
withheld by Jefferson City until case is closed
Court records and public filings
Public filings, police reports, court dockets, and related records help establish what is documented, what remains disputed, and where warnings were recorded.
Police or incident report
CAD/dispatch Log
Dispatch CAD log received from Jefferson City, Missouri City Clerk for the incident involving Kevaughn Goldson & Denita Jackson. The log documents call intake and response timing. Additional records were not released while the case remains under active investigation.
verified
Additional evidence and source material
Some materials do not fit neatly into one category but still belong in the documentary record of the case.
News report
Homicide involving Lincoln University students stemmed from domestic dispute, documents say | Mid-Missouri News | komu.com
An immigration hold was placed on Denita Jackson on Tuesday, February 24, 2026
verified
Homicide involving Lincoln University students stemmed from domestic dispute, documents say | Mid-Missouri News | komu.com
Open related material
News report
Kingston College in Shock at the Tragic Loss of Old Boy Kevaughn Goldson
Establishes Goldson’s secondary education background, community impact in Jamaica, and exact date of passing.
verified
Kingston College in Shock at the Tragic Loss of Old Boy Kevaughn Goldson
Open related material
