A Night That Turned Into a Nightmare
Vernon, Texas, was quiet in the early morning hours of September 23, 1990.
Inside one apartment, 12-year-old Derrick Jackson and his 14-year-old brother, James Edwards, were asleep in their beds. Their mother, Linda Jackson, was also home, along with her 23-year-old son, Layman.
Then someone entered the apartment.
The stranger opened fire on the two boys while they were still in bed. There was little opportunity for them to understand what was happening, much less escape.
The sound of gunfire woke Linda.
And when she realized her children were under attack, she tried to reach them.
A Mother Tried to Save Her Sons
Linda did not simply hide from the gunman.
She confronted the danger, attempting to protect her children as the attack unfolded inside the apartment.
She was shot multiple times.
Despite her injuries, Linda survived.
Her older son, Layman, managed to escape through a window and ran to get help while the violence was still taking place inside the home.
But there was nothing anyone could do for Derrick and James.
The brothers, just 12 and 14 years old, had been fatally shot in their beds.
Their mother had survived, but two of her sons were gone.
The Gunman Disappears
After the shooting, the intruder fled the apartment on foot.
Investigators developed a description of the suspect: a Black male approximately 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 10 inches tall with a heavy build. Authorities also believed he might have had connections to the Austin, Texas, area.
But the description did not lead investigators to an identified suspect.
No arrest followed.
No one was brought to trial for the killings.
And the man who entered the apartment that night disappeared into the darkness.
More Than Three Decades Without Answers
The years have not brought the Jackson family the answers they have been waiting for.
Derrick was only 12.
James was 14.
Their brother survived the night after escaping through a window to find help. Their mother survived multiple gunshot wounds after trying to protect her children.
But surviving the attack did not mean escaping its consequences.
Two young lives were taken inside their own home, and the person responsible has never been held accountable.
The murders of Derrick Jackson and James Edwards remain unsolved.
Texas Crime Stoppers is offering a $3,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person responsible.
Anyone with information about the killings can contact Texas Crime Stoppers at 1-800-252-8477.
More than 35 years later, Derrick and James remain remembered by the family they left behind — while the question of who killed them remains unanswered.
This story is based on publicly available information and reported facts. It has been independently written and presented for informational purposes. Images, if any, belong to their respective owners.