Nationwide — The unsolved deaths of Jeremy Jerome Jackson and Rasheem Carter, two Black men found decapitated in Mississippi years apart, are drawing renewed attention as questions surround Nolan Wells’ death. Both families have spent years seeking answers, but neither case has resulted in announced arrests.
Jackson was 30 years old when authorities discovered his remains in Jackson, Mississippi, on June 10, 2017. Children found his severed head on the front porch of a house, while investigators later discovered his badly burned body in a wooded area less than a mile away. An autopsy revealed that someone had severed his head while he was still alive. He had also suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.
His brother, Johnny Jackson, said Jeremy attended Jackson State University and was a father of three. He believed the way his brother’s remains were left in public was intended to send a message to someone. Authorities offered a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, and several federal agencies, including the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration, assisted with the investigation, as reported by Atlanta Black Star. Nearly a decade later, no arrests have been announced, leaving his family without answers about who killed him or why.
Five years after Jackson’s death, another Mississippi family faced a similar tragedy. Rasheem Carter, 25 years old, disappeared in October 2022, and his skeletal remains were found on private property in Smith County on November 2. Before his disappearance, Carter had reportedly told his mother, Tiffany Carter, that he feared for his life. She said that her son described three trucks carrying white men who allegedly threatened him and used racial slurs. Carter also reportedly contacted Taylorsville police twice about the threats. Laurel Police Chief Tommy Cox said Carter had raised concerns about his safety with local authorities.
Smith County Sheriff Joel Houston initially said there was no reason to suspect foul play in Carter’s death. His family disputed that assessment and called for a more thorough investigation. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump later alleged that Carter’s head had been severed from his body and that his vertebrae and spinal cord were found in a separate location. Crump also claimed someone tried to use Carter’s credit card after authorities had determined he was dead. Carter’s mother called on the U.S. Department of Justice and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation to investigate. Three years after his remains were discovered, no arrests had been announced.
The unresolved cases have left both families searching for answers about how their loved ones died and who was responsible. Their renewed visibility amid questions surrounding Nolan Wells’ death has also brought attention back to the circumstances of the two Mississippi killings. For Jackson’s and Carter’s families, years have passed without the answers or accountability they continue to seek.