Denita Jackson Charged After Fatal Stabbing of Boyfriend Kevaughn Goldson at Lincoln University Apartment

A 27-year-old student and track athlete at Lincoln University has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action after authorities say she fatally stabbed her boyfriend during a violent confrontation in Jefferson City.

Police identified the suspect as Denita Jackson and the victim as 23-year-old Kevaughn Goldson, also a sprinter on the university’s track and field team.

What investigators say happened

According to court documents and police reports:

• Jackson left her apartment earlier in the night for work but returned around 1:00 a.m. because she felt unwell.

• She heard her roommate talking inside the bedroom she shared with Goldson.

• The door was locked, and investigators say she used a hair clip to unlock it.

• Inside, she found Goldson and her roommate in bed together. Authorities noted they were fully dressed when discovered.

Police say Jackson jumped onto the bed and began fighting with Goldson. During the struggle:

• Goldson allegedly kicked her in the stomach, causing her to fall.

• Jackson told investigators he then got on top of her and began choking her.

• She said she grabbed a knife from beneath the roommate’s bed and stabbed him in the chest and back.

Emergency response and death

Officers with the Jefferson City Police Department responded to a 911 call from Jackson at approximately 1:09 a.m. at an apartment in the 800 block of Fairmount Boulevard.

 

Goldson was transported to Capital Region Medical Center and later airlifted to University Hospital for surgery, where he died from his injuries. Police said they were unable to interview him before he was transferred.

Jackson was arrested and booked into the Cole County Jail, where she is being held without bond.

Background and reaction

Investigators noted that court records indicate a history of violent incidents between Jackson and Goldson during their relationship.

In a statement, Lincoln University expressed condolences, saying its thoughts are with “family, friends, faculty, staff and all who have been impacted by this tragic situation.”