Arrest Made in Port Richmond Murder of Bag Lady

[The Bobster]

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=local&id=5177267

Arrest Made in Port Richmond Murder

April 2, 2007 - Philadelphia Police have made an arrest for what they're calling "a brutal, cold-blooded murder."

On Saturday night a woman's body was found in Port Richmond. Her hands were tied behind her back, she had a bag over her head, and many bones in her body were broken.

Monday, the victim was identified as Jean Jackson. And tonight police announced they've arrested 37-year-old Eric Johnson, the victim's boyfriend.

He's been charged with first-degree murder.

The couple had moved to Philadelphia late last year from Massachusetts. Police are trying to get in touch with any relatives of the victim.

 

[The Bobster]

http://www.nbc10.com/news/11517218/detail.html?dl=headlineclick

Mutilated Corpse Prompts National Alert

POSTED: 8:41 am EDT April 4, 2007
UPDATED: 9:54 am EDT April 4, 2007

PHILADELPHIA -- Police issued a nationwide bulletin regarding the killing and mutilation of a Philadelphia woman and a man arrested in the killing, hoping the grisly circumstances surround ing the case would link him to other unsolved crimes.

On Monday, Eric Johnson, 38, was charged with murder and abuse of a corpse in the beating death of his live-in crack whore, nigger digger girlfriend, Jean Jackson, 40.

Police said Johnson lived in Philadelphia until 1993. He met Jackson in Massachusetts in 2005, and they moved to Philadelphia in September after his mother died.

Jackson's body was found Saturday in a lot near railroad tracks in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia, her face mutilated in an apparent attempt to obscure her identity, police said.

The killer also put plastic and a pillowcase over her head and latex gloves on her hands.

Jackson's head, collarbone, legs and ribs were crushed or broken, police said.

Authorities said they still haven't been able to notify anyone in Jackson's family. When police arrived at the suspect's home to question him, they said he had a "replacement woman" there.

Police said they think he met the out-of-state woman on a phone chat line, and picked her up at a bus station on Thursday, a day after Johnson was accused of killing Jackson.

 

[The Bobster]

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_top/20070404_Nationwide_alert_over_city_murder.html

Nationwide alert over city murder

By Joseph A. Gambardello
Inquirer Staff Writer

Eric Johnson, still at large.

There was something about the killing and mutilation of Jean Jackson - and the boyfriend arrested in her slaying - that gave homicide detectives pause.

"It looked like he knew what he was doing," said Sgt. Anthony McFadden. "It looked like he might have done this before."

Because of that, Philadelphia police have issued a nationwide bulletin about Eric Johnson, 38, and the circumstances surrounding the killing of Jackson, 40, in the chance that some unsolved case might be linked to him.

Johnson was charged Monday with murder and abuse of a corpse in the fatal beating of Jackson, his live-in girlfriend.

Police said Johnson had found a new girlfriend on a telephone chat line and wanted to get Jackson out of the way.

Children found Jackson's body Saturday in a lot adjoining railroad tracks at Witte Street near Clearfield Street in Port Richmond.

Her head had been covered with plastic and a pillowcase, and a scarf tied around her neck, police said. Her face had been battered and mutilated in an apparent effort to mask her identity. Her collarbone, both leg bone and ribs had been crushed or broken.

McFadden said that Johnson, who lived in Philadelphia until 1993, met Jackson in Massachusetts in 2005 and that they moved here in September after his mother died.

Johnson had a violent criminal history in the Bay State, authorities said.

McFadden said Johnson recently met another Massachusetts woman on a telephone chat line and developed some sort of relationship.

The woman arrived Thursday on a Greyhound bus. Police said Jackson apparently was dead by then.