JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The collegiate athletic community is reeling from a tragic incident that resulted in the death of Lincoln University sprinter Kevaughn Goldson, 23, with fellow student-athlete Denita Jackson now facing serious criminal charges.
Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson has formally charged Jackson with second-degree murder and armed criminal action following the fatal altercation that occurred in the early hours of Monday. Both students were prominent members of the university’s track and field program, with Goldson having previously established himself as a dual-sport athlete at Kingston College in Jamaica before his collegiate career in Missouri.
Court documents reveal the tragedy stemmed from escalating tensions within a complex romantic relationship marked by previous domestic disturbances. The immediate catalyst appears to have been Jackson’s suspicion regarding Goldson’s fidelity, specifically her belief that he was involved with one of her roommates.
According to official reports, Jackson returned to her residence shortly after 1:00 a.m. and used a hair accessory to bypass the locked door of her roommate’s bedroom. There she allegedly discovered Goldson and the roommate together in bed, though both were fully clothed.
The situation rapidly escalated into a physical confrontation during which Jackson allegedly produced a weapon and stabbed Goldson multiple times in the torso. Emergency services were contacted via Jackson’s own 911 call, with responders transporting the critically injured athlete to Capital Region Emergency Room before he was airlifted to University Hospital. Despite surgical intervention, Goldson succumbed to his injuries.
Jackson was taken into custody and remains detained at Cole County jail awaiting judicial proceedings. The case continues to develop as investigators piece together the complete sequence of events leading to this fatal outcome.