The Murder of Sherri Jackson
Warning, this case discusses murder and domestic violence.
For this case, I watched an episode of Buried in the Backyard. It’s season 2 episode 3, titled ‘Tangled Web.’
A young woman is reported missing after no one hears from her for several days.
Background
Sherri Jackson grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, but moved to Greensboro after high school. Sherri put her college plans on hold, and began working as a family and health care coordinator. Sherri worked with disabled and elderly patients. It was hard work, but she loved it.
Sherri was described as very smart and athletic, and had once been a cheerleader. Sherri told her mom, Clara Jackson, that she was happy with how her life and job were going.
Sherri Jackson
The Disappearance
On November 29, 2006, Sherri had plans to go to a holiday party with her colleagues. Sherri never showed up, which was a red flag as she really loved parties.
Over the next several days, Sherri didn’t show up for work, or pick up her paycheck. Sherri’s boyfriend, DeCarlo Bennett, contacted Sherri’s parents asking if they had heard from her. No one had seen or heard from her.
Sherri’s co-workers went over to her apartment, and knocked on the door. Sherri didn’t answer, but her car was still there. The co-workers contacted the police.
The Apartment
On December 3, 2006, the Greensboro police received permission to enter the apartment. Inside, they saw that there had been a struggle of some kind. The apartment was in disarray, furniture was knocked over, and some blood spatter was found on the wall.
In Sherri’s bathroom, the bathroom floor was very slick. The police believed someone had used a chemical to attempt to clean up. A CSI team used luminol to search for a sign of blood. The bathroom lit up, and there was blood all over the floor, walls, bathtub, and sink.
Several items from Sherri’s apartment, including her hairbrush, lipstick and a bobby pin were taken in hopes that DNA was found on each item.
DeCarlo arrived at the scene in a panic. He told the police that he and Sherri had gotten into an argument on November 29. He said after the fight, Sherri left to go to a party with some friends. He also revealed that Sherri was 3 months pregnant with his baby. He was looking forward to being a dad, and for his life with Sherri.
A Motive
The police turned to Sherri’s family and friends for help. The police learned that several weeks before she disappeared, Sherri had called her dad. Sherri told her dad that someone was in her house, and wouldn’t leave. Sherri’s dad spoke to this person, and the man on the other end said he would leave. Sherri never told her dad who it was.
One of Sherri’s friends, Portia Shipman, told the police that Sherri was reconnecting with her ex-boyfriend, Reggie. Reggie was Portia’s son, and had introduced Sherri to his family. Sherri began working for Portia at her clinic, and the family really loved her.
Sherri and Reggie had met in 2002, and had became inseparable. Reggie was the father of two young kids, but Sherri treated them like her own. Reggie and Sherri broke up a few months later, but remained good friends.
After Sherri’s break up, she met DeCarlo at a party. DeCarlo fell hard and fast for Sherri. Sherri’s friends said that DeCarlo had given her a ring. Sherri was still stuck on Reggie, and had a dilemma on her hands.
Reggie and Sherri had been planning on going to the party together on November 29, 2006. When Sherri didn’t show up, Reggie went to her apartment. Reggie was looked into as a suspect, but was eliminated.
A Toxic Relationship
The police obtained Sherri’s phone records. The last person she had spoken to before she disappeared was a friend of DeCarlo’s named Andre.
Andre came to speak to the police. Andre said he became friends with Sherri through DeCarlo. Andre said he had witnessed DeCarlo being very possessive and controlling. He said Sherri was trying to get away from the relationship with DeCarlo.
The police also obtained DeCarlo’s phone records. After November 29, DeCarlo never tried to contact Sherri again. The police found that very odd as she was allegedly pregnant, and he was supposedly so in love with her.
The police had also responded to a 911 call placed by Sherri several months before she disappeared. When the police responded, DeCarlo and Sherri had gotten into a fight. It was clear that Sherri had markings on her, but she minimized it.
DeCarlo was interviewed by the police. He again admitted to being in Sherri’s apartment on November 29. He said Sherri cooked them dinner, and started to get ready for the party. DeCarlo said the argument was over the outfit Sherri had wanted to wear to the party. DeCarlo said he didn’t find it appropriate, and wanted her to change. DeCarlo said he left after the argument, and that Sherri was alive.
The Evidence
The police asked DeCarlo if he’d be willing to let them search his car. DeCarlo agreed. On his car, there were a few dark spots that looked like blood.
When the police opened the trunk of the car, they were hit with the smell of human decomposition. The smell really shocked even seasoned detectives. The blood samples on the car were collected, and sent in to the crime lab.
The police took a DNA sample from DeCarlo, and asked him about the blood on his car. DeCarlo said that Sherri had cut herself while making dinner. He said he had rags in his car, and the blood must have gotten on his car when he opened the door.
The police released DeCarlo, but surveilled him after he left the station. DeCarlo sped away, and went in the direction of Durham, North Carolina.
A few days later, the police received the results back from the blood samples. The blood in Sherri’s house was hers, and the blood on the car was a mixture of her blood and DeCarlo’s.
On December 14, 2006, DeCarlo Bennett was arrested in Wake Forest, North Carolina. He was transported back to Greensboro.
The Plea Deal
Over the next few months, the police searched for Sherri’s body, and built a case against DeCarlo.
About 19 months after Sherri disappeared, DeCarlo’s lawyer reached out the district attorney. The lawyer said DeCarlo would tell the police where he had buried Sherri in exchange for a plea deal.
The offer was for DeCarlo to plead guilty to second degree murder. The police and DA let Sherri’s family decide, and they agreed. Sherri’s parents wanted to find Sherri to give her a proper goodbye and burial.
DeCarlo drew a map of his mother’s backyard in Gramercy Park. On June 26, 2008, the police excavated the backyard of the house now owned by a new owner. After 13 hours, the police didn’t find anything.
The police thought that DeCarlo was lying again, but they allowed him to walk in the backyard with them. DeCarlo showed the police an area where he had buried Sherri. After an hour and a half, the police found Sherri’s skeletal remains.
It’s believed that Sherri had been hit in the face and strangled. Sherri’s nasal bones had damage to them. It seemed like his motive was jealousy and anger. Maybe DeCarlo discovered that Sherri wanted to leave him, and that she was growing closer to her ex-boyfriend, Reggie. DeCarlo had killed Sherri, and left her in his truck for several days before burying her.
DeCarlo pled guilty to second degree murder, and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
DeCarlo Bennett in a more recent photo
Other
In 2008, the Sherri Denese Jackson Foundation was started by Portia Shipman. Clara Jackson, Sherri’s mom, had asked her if she wanted to do something for Sherri. The foundation is to prevent domestic violence.
DeCarlo is now in his 40s, and has been released from prison. He served 12 years and 4 months in prison. A billboard that reads, ‘domestic violence kills,’ was put up by the foundation before DeCarlo was released.
FINAL THOUGHTS
DeCarlo is such a piece of shit. Now, he will be on the streets at a young age. Sherri doesn't have her life, and DeCarlo is out there where he could do this to another young woman. I really hope DeCarlo is a changed person, and feels remorse about what he did.
I know Sherri’s family had to make a such a difficult decision. They wanted Sherri to be found so they could have a proper goodbye. They said DeCarlo’s life sentence wouldn’t bring their daughter back.
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