Chattanooga, Tennessee – A local jury swiftly concluded deliberations on Monday, convicting Jason Chen of both first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse in the chilling case of Jasmine Pace’s brutal death last November. The verdict came after a weeklong trial that had people across the nation closely watching due to the gruesome nature of the crime.
Pace, just 22 at the time of her death, suffered a tragic fate when she was stabbed 60 times by Chen, who subsequently discarded her body. After committing the murder on November 22, 2022, Chen shackled and wrapped Pace’s remains in trash bags, hiding them inside a hard-shell suitcase which he disposed of in the Tennessee River.
The jury, brought in from Davidson County, was sequestered during the eight-day trial, shielded from media exposure to ensure an unbiased verdict in a case that has garnered widespread attention.
In the trial’s final phase, the debate on whether Chen had planned the murder in advance took center stage. Chen’s defense admitted his guilt in the act of murder and corpse abuse, but contested the premeditation aspect required for a first-degree murder conviction. Amanda Morrison, one of Chen’s defense lawyers, described his actions as “disgusting and unacceptable,” but argued that they did not amount to premeditated killing.
Chief Homicide Prosecutor Paul Moyle strongly argued for the element of premeditation, depicting Chen’s actions as methodical. Moyle painstakingly detailed how Chen’s conduct before and after the murder displayed calculated planning, critical in proving the first-degree murder charge. His arguments were amplified by evidence including manipulations of digital evidence and attempts to clean his apartment, suggesting a clear and calm mindset focused on covering up his sinister act.
During his argument, Moyle noted that Chen’s decision to shackle Pace significantly demonstrated forethought. “Dr. Steve Cogswell’s testimony revealed that the deceased do not require restraining,” Moyle said, “Shackling would only aid in carrying out the murder, indicative of a premeditated act.”
In contrast, the defense strived to suggest that Chen acted in a moment of uncontrolled passion rather than through calculated planning. They argued the lack of defensive wounds on Pace suggested she was shackled post-mortem, countering the claims of premeditation.
The trial, presided over by Criminal Court Judge Boyd Patterson, also included denials for motions by the defense for including voluntary intoxication and self-defense in the jury instructions. Patterson ruled out these defenses citing insufficient evidence, noting there was no proof of intoxication in Pace or justifiable cause for self-defense, given the physical disparities between Chen and Pace.
The convictions of first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse bring a closure of one chapter in this harrowing case, leaving the community and the victim’s family to continue grappling with the senseless loss of life.
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