On the morning of April 19, 2021, 27-year-old Nikea Jackson was found with gunshot wounds on the 700 block of Woodbourne Avenue in Baltimore. She was taken to Sinai Hospital but died shortly after arrival. Before she died she was able to give officers information that led them to identify 44-year-old Daya Jones as the suspect; witnesses also reported seeing Jones with Jackson that morning. Surveillance captured a black Honda SUV registered to Jackson but often driven by Jones near the scene, and a loud bang consistent with the fatal shot was recorded.

Jones was located and arrested on April 23, 2021. He gave a full confession to homicide detectives. At trial the prosecution said an argument about Jackson’s daughter escalated and Jones shot her in the left side; the defense said the shooting was accidental, claiming a handgun discharged as Jones placed it in the driver’s side door and that there was no sign of a struggle. The jury convicted Jones of first-degree murder; during sentencing in July 2023 he received life plus additional consecutive terms for firearm offenses. Family members described a history of domestic violence and spoke at sentencing about the impact of Jackson’s death.