BAY MINETTE, Ala. — The Baldwin County, Ala., Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s assistance in solving a 32-year-old homicide case that involved a former Groveton resident.
Capt. Clint Cadenhead, a cold case investigator with the BCSO, said he is seeking information in the homicide of James Carol Jackson of Groveton.
The identity of the victim was not known until recently; with the victim now identified, investigators are asking the public, including Trinity County residents, to come forward with any information that may help solve this case.
Some of the information regarding the case, from a press release from the BCSO:
In January of 1994, a person walking in the woods found partial skeletal remains near Highway 225 south of Interstate 65 in Baldwin County.
The Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office, the Baldwin County Coroner’s Office, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences as well as an anthropologist from the University of South Alabama were called in, and the unidentified human remains were collected and examined. The manner of death was ruled a homicide.
For the next 32 years, attempts were made to identify the unidentified human remains. Those efforts were unsuccessful.
In 2024, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences funded Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy testing throughout the state to assist in identifying unidentified human remains homicide cases.
In early 2024 forensic evidence was submitted to Othram Labs in Texas to determine if advanced DNA testing could help identify the victim. Othram scientists were able to build a comprehensive DNA profile of the victim. Othram’s forensic genealogists used the profile to conduct a genetic genealogy search to develop new investigative leads. The leads were returned to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office for additional investigation.
Through additional DNA testing, the victim was positively identified as James Carol Jackson of Groveton, Texas.
It is believed that Mr. Jackson left Texas in the late 1980s to come to Alabama for work. Jackson was a welder by trade and told his family he was going to Alabama to work on a road crew building roads. There were several major road projects going on in south Alabama during this time, so it is possible Jackson was working in this area.
Mr. Jackson may have been living at one of the landings along the Tensaw River-Highway 225 area of Baldwin County.
Jackson was last seen driving a red 1978-80 Red Camaro. It is not known what happened to this vehicle. The Camaro is further described as having white interior, no spoiler and a CB whip antenna attached to the deck lid.
Jackson had significant surgery on his back due to a work injury. He continued to work, but the injury would have somewhat limited him. He would have been in near constant pain from the previous injury.
Jackson was said to be a heavy smoker, favoring Benson & Hedges Menthol. He had emphysema and used an inhaler. He wore Western-style shirts, dark-lens bifocals and a hat that said “American by Birth; Texan by the Grace of God.” The hat was located at the scene of the crime.
At the time of his death, he was approximately 48-50 years old. He also was a U.S. Marine veteran and would have served in the late 1950s.
Authorities say that any detail, no matter how small, could be critical.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Cold Case Investigator Clint Cadenhead with any information at (251) 972-8589 option 7 or (251) 937-0202.
