by Hanna Singh
On Oct. 22, 2017, the Ruston Police Department responded to an incident on South Vienna Street where Sheila Jackson had been struck by a vehicle. Nine years later, her family still honors her memory each October and continues searching for answers in the unsolved case.
Tuesday night, Jackson’s brother and sister gathered with officers from the Ruston Police Department at the East Side Mini Mart for an annual remembrance of their loved one. Each year, they bring her picture for a candlelight vigil to honor her and ask the Lincoln Parish community to provide any information they may have about the incident.
Ruston Police Deputy Chief of Patrol Dylan Castaneda was called to the scene that night. Almost a decade later, he continues to work on the unresolved case, looking for answers.
“Her brother, Mr. Rodney Jackson, comes every year from out of town in October to do this vigil. I know that there’s not very many leads on this, so we’re just asking for the public’s help on information they may know,” Castaneda said. “No matter how small, if they could provide us with any information that we could possibly work with, we will be looking at anything that’s brought to our attention.”
Rodney Jackson, a Colorado resident, drives more than 17 hours every October to return to Ruston on the anniversary of his sister’s death. Committed to keeping his sister’s memory alive, he holds the vigil each year and continues searching for answers that could bring his family closure.
“I made a promise to our mother on her deathbed that I would continue to fight and search until we get justice,” Jackson said. “Some people don’t care as much as I do, but it’s genuine to my heart to keep her memory alive. A shoutout to the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Department and Ruston Police Department, the chief detective, and the newspaper people for taking time out of their busy schedules to come out to assist us and keep the story out. We want answers and we appreciate them working to find them.”
As the sun set, Sheila Jackson’s family gathered with a photo of her surrounded by candles. They spoke with Ruston police officers about any updates on the case and thanked them for their dedication to the investigation over the years.
Despite numerous rumors and false leads over the years, the investigation has not produced any definitive answers regarding Jackson’s death. The only evidence located at the scene was a Grambling State University fan flag that attaches to an automobile window. By keeping attention focused on the case, Jackson’s family hopes to someday find answers and gain some closure.
Jackson’s sister, Gloria Beard, shared what a resolution to the case would mean to her family.
“No one deserves to die like that first of all. And if they can catch the person whose done this, you don’t know how it would make our hearts feel,” Beard said. “My mother passed behind this with a broken heart, without any closure. And they robbed Sheila of three beautiful grandchildren that she never got a chance to meet. If the Ruston Police and the public could give us the closure, it would be so greatly appreciated.”
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Ruston Police Department.
