College sprinter Denita Jackson has been charged in connection with the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend and fellow university athlete, Kevaughn Goldson. The case has drawn attention both for its tragic outcome and the complex dynamics of relationships among young collegiate athletes.
Jackson, a senior on the women’s track and field team at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, faces charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action, according to Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson and reports from KMIZ. Goldson, 23, a senior and member of the men’s track and field team, was originally from Kingston, Jamaica. Jackson hails from Berbice, Guyana.
Court records indicate that an arrest warrant for Jackson was issued on Monday, February 23. She was taken into custody the same day, charged, and remains held without bond.
According to a probable cause statement obtained by PEOPLE, Jackson contacted Jefferson City Police to report that she had been involved in a disturbance at her residence and had stabbed Goldson. When officers arrived, Goldson was found in the living room with stab wounds to his chest and back, alongside minor scratches consistent with a struggle.
Goldson did not cooperate with police questioning and was not formally interviewed at the scene. He was initially taken to Capital Region Medical Center, where documentation of his injuries was made. Later, he was airlifted to the University of Missouri Hospital in Columbia, where he died during surgery.
Investigators report that Jackson admitted to stabbing Goldson during interviews. She described their relationship as volatile, with prior domestic disputes. According to her account, friends had previously cautioned her to maintain distance from him.
The probable cause statement notes that their latest confrontation began over a broken bottle of cologne, which Jackson had agreed to replace. Although they previously lived together, Jackson currently shares a residence with two roommates, one of whom witnessed part of the altercation.
Goldson reportedly visited Jackson’s residence on February 21 and stayed overnight. Jackson stated that she left for work the following morning while Goldson remained asleep in her bed. Upon returning early, she found the bedding disturbed and Goldson absent from the room.
Jackson told police that she suspected Goldson of having an affair with one of her roommates. She reportedly used a hair clip to unlock the roommate’s door, where she discovered Goldson and the roommate in bed together. Both were clothed, with the disputed bottle of cologne positioned between them.
According to Jackson’s statement, she attempted to retrieve the cologne and Goldson’s shirt, sparking a physical altercation. She said Goldson kicked her, causing her to fall against a mirror. The roommate reportedly fled the room after attempting to intervene. Jackson said Goldson then pinned her and began choking her. In response, she noticed a knife under the roommate’s bed and used it to stab Goldson in the back. She reportedly stabbed him a second time in the chest when he did not immediately respond.
Jackson subsequently called 911 to report the incident.
This case raises complex questions about domestic violence among young adults, particularly in environments where athletes live, train, and compete closely together. Experts note that volatile relationships in high-pressure academic and athletic settings can escalate quickly when conflicts are unresolved.
Legal analysts also point to the challenges prosecutors face in cases where the victim did not cooperate with authorities. The interplay of self-defense claims, prior domestic violence history, and eyewitness accounts from roommates will play a central role as the case moves through the courts.
The Lincoln University community has been left grappling with grief and shock, reflecting on the pressures that student-athletes face both on and off the track. The death of Goldson represents not only a personal tragedy but also a cautionary story about the consequences of unresolved disputes and unaddressed relationship violence.
