Deontra D. Jackson
Police have made an arrest of an 18-year-old they said they suspect is part of a group involved in a series of recent Chattanooga murders.
Deontra D. Jackson, of 3814 One Dale Trail, is charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy and reckless endangerment.
Jackson is charged as being part of a foursome armed with rifles and pistols who laid in wait for Kadarrius Coleman at the Cromwell Hills apartments in broad daylight on June 10.
Chattanooga Police officers responded at 12:36 p.m. on June 10 to 3926 Juniper St. on a report of a person shot. Officers located the victim inside a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu with dark tinted windows.
He was suffering from gunshot wounds, and he died after being rushed to Erlanger Hospital.
Police said video from the apartments showed a maroon Hyundai Tucson arrive at 12:10 p.m. on Juniper Street. The vehicle was backed into a parking spot between the exit and the victim's residence.
The suspects waited for the victim to leave his apartment some 20 minutes after they arrived.
As the victim drove away, four people, including the driver, got out of the maroon Tucson. They opened fire on the victim's vehicle with rifles and pistols.
They then re-entered the Tucson and fled.
A detective checking out the scene a short time later found two Apple iPhones - a rose gold Apple and a yellow Apple - in the area where the suspect vehicle had been parked waiting for the victim.
Two days later, the Tucson was located at 3392 Provence St. on fire. It had been stolen in the early morning hours of the day of the murder.
Police said an examination of the rose gold Apple iPhone showed it belonged to Jackson and had been used by him. It was shown to connect and disconnect from "Tucson" several times the day of the killing. It connected to "Tucson" 20 minutes before arriving at the apartments.
Police said, "Detectives have been investigating a series of murders likely involving members of the group Deontra Jackson is tied to."
Police said the Tucson was stolen that morning likely in preparation for the Coleman murder.