College sprinter accused in fatal stabbing of fellow athlete

A sprinter at a Missouri college is accused of fatally stabbing her boyfriend, who was also an athlete at the school, prosecutors said on Monday.

According to Cole County prosecutors, Denita Atiyah Jackson, 27, of Jefferson City, was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action, KMIZ reported.

The victim was identified as Kevaughn Goldson, 23, of Kingston, Jamaica, Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson said.

Goldson and Jackson both attended Lincoln University in Jefferson City.

Goldson was a sprinter for the Lincoln University men’s track and field team, according to the college’s website. Jackson, who is also listed as an athlete on the school’s website, competed on the women’s track and field squad as a sprinter, KOMU reported. She is from Berbice, Guyana.

Court documents state that Jackson was in a romantic relationship with Goldson, but there was a history of domestic violence incidents between them, KMIZ reported. She allegedly told authorities that their most recent fight involved a missing bottle of cologne.

According to a probable cause statement, Jackson allegedly called Jefferson City police to the scene and said she had “been in a disturbance” with Goldson and stabbed him at her residence, People reported.

Officers arriving at the scene discovered Goldson with stab wounds to his chest and back, court documents stated.

Court documents stated that Jackson lived with three other women at a house, adding that Goldson did not live there but stayed over occasionally, KOMU reported.

Goldson had stayed the night on Feb. 21, and Jackson went to work the next day, court documents state. Goldson had been sleeping in her bed but was not there when she returned at 1 a.m. CT on Feb 23.

Jackson allegedly suspected that Goldson was having an affair with her roommate, and she used a hair clip to unlock the woman’s door and enter the room after she heard the woman talking with someone, KMIZ reported.

She found Goldson and her roommate in bed but fully clothed, with the bottle of cologne that had been missing.

Court documents state that Jackson allegedly jumped on the bed and grabbed Goldson by his shirt, KOMU reported. He then allegedly kicked her in the stomach and Jackson fell to the floor.

Jackson then alleged that Goldson began to choke her, and she spotted a knife under her roommate’s bed, according to court documents. She used it to stab Goldson in the back.

When the victim did not react, she stabbed him in the chest.

Jackson then called 911, KOMU reported.

Goldson was taken to an area hospital, where he later died from his injuries, according to KRCG.

“Our thoughts are with family, friends, faculty, staff and all who have been impacted by this tragic situation,” Lincoln University wrote in a news release.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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