7 Charged With Murder In Death Of Alabama Woman ‘Held Hostage’

Seven people were arrested and charged with murder in the death of a 20-year-old Alabama mother who police said was kidnapped and sexually assaulted on video.

Authorities arrested four men and three women in connection to the murder of Mahogany Jaquise Jackson, Birmingham police announced on Wednesday.

According to a local Alabama outlet, Jackson was reported missing on Sunday after her mother and sister received a message from her on Facebook messenger.

“She sent me a text message that said she was being held hostage and sent her location,’’ Gail Maddox, Jackson’s mother, said.

The location Jackson sent was at Serenity Apartments in Birmingham’s Powderly community, but she was nowhere to be found when police arrived, according to the outlet.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Birmingham Police Chief Scott Thurmon said investigators were able to locate Jackson’s body on the side of a road with help from the public.

Police located her body around 2:19 a.m. Monday and “determined she had been shot.”

Police believe Jackson and all seven suspects knew each other. “I would say all these individuals were acquaintances, they were not strangers to one another,” Thurmon said.

Giovonnie Clapp, 23; Blair Green, 25; and Si’nya McCall, 23; were charged with felony murder, kidnapping in the first degree, and sodomy in the first degree.

Jeremiah McDowell, 18; Brandon Pope, 24; and Francis Harris, 25; were charged with capital murder/sodomy in the first degree and capital murder/kidnapping in the first degree.

Teja Lewis, 25, was also charged with felony murder and assault in the second degree with injury/weapon. Clapp also faces assault charges.

All suspects are being held without bond.

Thurmon declined to release specific details about Jackson’s kidnapping but mentioned she was taken to several different locations, and the suspects recorded the sexual assault.

“It was absolutely disgusting,” Thurmond told reporters.

Need help? Visit RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Online Hotline or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center’s website.