A baby-faced ‘killer’ in Missouri is facing a murder charge after allegedly shooting a 23-year-old man 14 times and attempting to conceal the crime scene by hiding the victim’s body in an air mattress with a garbage bag around his head.
Jackson L. Pierce, 18, was arrested in connection with the murder of Dalton Coleman in St. Peters, Missouri, on Monday afternoon.
Pierce was accused of opening fire on Coleman 14 times and cleaning up the scene with an unidentified teenager after an ‘altercation’ inside their home, according to the St. Peters Police Department.
When police arrived at the scene, the 18-year-old reportedly said, ‘Dog, I should have f**king called the cops myself. I should have called the cops myself, bro… I am, I am dumb as f**k,’ according to a probable cause statement obtained by Law&Crime.
Pierce has been charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and tampering with evidence. He is currently held on a $1 million cash-only bond at the St. Charles County Jail, according to police.
Jackson L. Pierce, 18, is facing a murder charge after allegedly shooting a 23-year-old man 14 times and attempting to conceal the crime scene by hiding the victim’s body in an air mattress with a garbage bag around his head
Dalton Coleman, 23, was killed after he was shot 14 times in the abdomen and on the hand and face at a residence in St. Peters, Missouri, on Monday
Pierce was accused of opening fire on Coleman 14 times and cleaning up the scene with an unidentified teenager after an ‘altercation’ inside their home in St. Peters, according to the St. Peters Police Department
Authorities responded to the scene after an attorney for Pierce’s housemate notified them about a potential homicide.
During the search, the St. Charles County SWAT team found a ‘rolled-up air mattress that had been tied tightly and wrapped with a piece of an electrical cord cut from nearby lamp’.
Inside a closet, Coleman was found dead, wrapped in the air mattress with a white plastic garbage around his head.
During interview with investigators, Pierce’s housemate said he had left their home in St. Charles County to assist a friend’s business on Monday afternoon.
The unidentified housemate, who’s also the key witness in the case, said Pierce, Coleman, and the teenager who allegedly helped Pierce clean the aftermath were at the residence.
Over several phone calls, Pierce reportedly complained about Coleman’ ‘asking for unknown belongings and ‘other erratic behavior’ with the witness, according to documents.
The witness claimed he tried to deescalate the situation by talking with both Pierce and Coleman. He ultimately asked Pierce to collect items of value, including a firearm stored in a cabinet above a microwave.
Minutes later, Pierce called the witness again, saying he had shot and killed Coleman.
Pierce later told the police that Coleman forced his way into a bedroom, where the altercation was escalated.
‘Pierce stated that the victim was attempting to strike him, when Pierce observed the victim look at the firearm, which had been left in the open on a bedside table, and appear to move towards it,’ police said.
The 18-year-old was able to grab the firearm and began firing at Coleman, who did not fall down immediately.
Pierce told the police that he shot Coleman 14 times until the gun was empty. He also said the victim never touched the firearm, according to court documents.
Coleman had become a father just months ago. The tragic death has left his family utterly devastated
Coleman’s partner, Grace Burnett, condemned Pierce as a ‘murderer’ and asked justice to be served in a devastating social media post
An autopsy later revealed that the victim suffered approximately 15 gunshot wounds in the abdomen, hand and face.
Pierce and the unnamed teenager tried to clean up the scene using towels and dish soap, Pierce said.
The pair allegedly concealed the body of Coleman in the air mattress and moved him into a different bedroom.
In the next few hours, a DoorDash delivery of food was sent to the residence, as confirmed by the police after reviewing house surveillance footage.
Authorities took custody of Pierce and the juvenile suspect, who was later transferred to St. Charles County Family Court for undisclosed charges.
Coleman had become a father just months ago. The tragic death has left his family utterly devastated.
His partner, Grace Burnett, said in a social media post, ‘I don’t know what to do. I haven’t eaten since yesterday. I can barely drink water. I can’t get up…this is literally a nightmare I can’t wake up from.’
In another post, Burnett condemned Pierce as a ‘murderer’ and asked justice to be served.
‘Self-defense isn’t shooting somebody 15 times with a handgun and hiding the body. Justice needs to be served. I lost my first love, the love of my life, and now Dexter won’t know his daddy,’ she wrote.
The devastated mother added, ‘I can’t stop texting him hoping he’ll respond, but he won’t.’
