Ellie Young

Ellie Claire Young was a 22-year-old White woman from Henning, Tennessee, who was remembered by loved ones as a "light in this world." A first-year medical student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, she was the valedictorian of her high school class and was described as a smart, genuine, and gracious person with an unforgettable laugh. She was embarking on a career dedicated to helping others before her life was cut short.

On the afternoon of October 19, 2024, Young was at Shelby Farms Park near Memphis, where she had just participated in the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk. Around 12:15 p.m., as she was getting into her Jeep in the visitor center parking lot, a white Honda CRV pulled up beside her. The driver opened fire, shooting her multiple times. Paramedics who arrived at the scene pronounced Young dead from multiple gunshot wounds.

The shooter was identified as Young’s 26-year-old ex-boyfriend, Jackson Hopper, with whom she had recently ended a relationship. After the shooting, Hopper fled the park, leading law enforcement on a multi-county police chase that stretched for approximately 80 miles. The pursuit ended in Dyer County after an officer performed a tactical maneuver, causing Hopper’s vehicle to crash and overturn. He was then taken into custody, and officers recovered a 9mm handgun from his car.

Hopper was initially charged with first-degree murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony in Shelby County. He also faced numerous charges in Tipton, Lauderdale, and Dyer counties related to the police chase, including aggravated assault and felony evading arrest. He was held in jail without bond.

On April 15, 2026, Jackson Hopper accepted a plea agreement. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting death of Ellie Young and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. During the hearing, the prosecutor stated that surveillance footage showed Hopper shooting Young six times in the head. The judge accepted the plea on behalf of Young's family, hoping it would allow them to begin healing from their "immeasurable" loss. As of April 2026, Hopper still faced the charges connected to the police chase in the other counties.