CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — On a day when most federal offices were shuttered for a holiday, a Chattanooga courtroom was a hive of activity as jurors deliberated the harrowing case of a man accused of brutally murdering his girlfriend two years prior. Jason Chen, 22, faces charges of murder following the death of Jasmine Pace, also 22, in a crime that shocked the local community.
The incident, which occurred in Chen’s apartment on Chattanooga’s North Shore during the week of Thanksgiving in 2022, ended in tragedy when Pace was found brutally stabbed 60 times. Her body, chillingly concealed inside a suitcase, was later discovered beside the Tennessee River in a remote area west of the city. An autopsy reported that she had been wrapped in three trash bags and restrained with shackles and handcuffs, underscoring the gruesome nature of the crime.
Initial testimony from the medical examiner provided the jury with these gruesome details, painting a grisly scene of the murder. On the morning of her death, it was revealed that Pace had last been active on the Tinder app, engaging in conversations that hinted at no forewarning of her grim fate.
The defense offered a contrasting narrative, admitting Chen’s responsibility in Pace’s death but attributing it to a ‘crime of passion’ during a supposed blackout. They contended for a conviction on charges of voluntary manslaughter, arguing that the killing was not premeditated.
Prosecutors, however, portrayed a calculated act of violence, pushing for a first degree murder conviction. They suggested that Chen’s actions were deliberate and merciless, aiming to secure a verdict that could lead to Chen spending his lifetime in prison.
The trial was further complicated by the actions of Pace’s parents, who testified about their desperate search for their daughter after she went missing. They became suspicious after noticing a post on Pace’s Facebook, which seemed out of character for her. This post, purportedly from Jasmine saying she was spending Thanksgiving with her “baby,” included a photograph that her father, Travis Pace, testified was decidedly unlike anything his daughter would post. This anomaly spurred the Paces into action.
Frustrated by what they perceived as an inadequate initial response from the police, they admitted to breaking into Chen’s apartment, where they discovered Jasmine’s driver’s license and credit cards, which they took to draw police attention to their findings.
Moreover, surveillance footage from a local Walmart and Walgreens showed Chen purchasing numerous cleaning products the day after Pace’s last visit to his apartment, which led investigators to suspect foul play. Using BlueStar technology, forensic experts detected significant blood evidence in Chen’s residence, described by the lead investigator as unmatched in their career.
Detectives expanded their investigation by tracking Chen’s phone, which indicated travel between Chattanooga and an area near Nashville. He was eventually apprehended at his parents’ house.
As the defense rested and jurors began their deliberations, the community awaited a resolution to a case that had gripped the city with its brutality and tragedy. The verdict will determine the legal and existential fate of Jason Chen, as well as deliver a measure of closure to the grieving family of Jasmine Pace.
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