by Idaho – A 16-year-old boy from Idaho is facing a first-degree murder charge after police say he shot and killed a woman who refused to give him a ride. The teen, identified as Bobby Grant Jackson Jr., reportedly told officers, “I put a bullet in her brain,” referring to 30-year-old Rebecca Rivera, the victim found dead in her mobile home in Blackfoot.
The Shocking Crime
According to the Blackfoot Police Department, officers were called to Rivera’s mobile home on Broadway Street around 4 p.m. Thursday after her family discovered her body. She had been shot once in the head. Authorities quickly determined the shooting was deliberate and launched an intensive manhunt for the suspect.
Court documents revealed that Jackson had stolen the 9mm handgun used in the killing from his workplace earlier that day. He had been employed by a subcontractor helping to renovate a local hospital. A coworker told investigators that Jackson had asked to use the restroom but disappeared for an extended period. When the man went to check on him, both Jackson and the handgun kept in his lunchbox were missing.
The coworker immediately called the police, who began tracing Jackson’s movements. Surveillance footage from the hospital parking lot reportedly showed him opening the man’s truck and taking something from it before leaving the area.
A Disturbing Motive
Investigators later learned that Jackson had been staying at a halfway house while on probation for a prior armed robbery conviction. Staff members at the facility helped police locate his phone, which showed he was near a gas station on Broadway Street, close to Rivera’s home.
Witnesses at the trailer park confirmed seeing Jackson earlier that afternoon. They said he was going door-to-door asking for a ride, and surveillance footage later showed him near Rivera’s home shortly before her death.
When detectives confronted Jackson after his arrest, he allegedly confessed to shooting Rivera because she refused to drive him and because he believed her brothers were involved in his friend’s death. According to the affidavit, when asked if he killed Rivera as revenge, he reportedly replied, “Yeah,” and then added, “I put a bullet in her brain.”
Arrest and Charges
Police arrested Jackson on Friday at a home in Pocatello, about 25 miles from the crime scene. Initially, he was charged with second-degree murder, but prosecutors later upgraded the charge to first-degree murder after reviewing his confession and the circumstances surrounding the case.
Officials said Jackson had no known prior connection to Rivera, making the crime appear random and senseless. Investigators also confirmed that the 9mm handgun used in the murder matched the firearm stolen from his coworker’s vehicle earlier that morning.
Jackson is being held at the 3B Detention Facility on a $1 million bond. Prosecutors have decided to charge him as an adult due to the seriousness and premeditated nature of the crime. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 6.
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Community in Shock
The small city of Blackfoot, located about 250 miles east of Boise, has been left shaken by the brutal killing. Neighbors and friends of Rivera described her as a kind and helpful person who often assisted others in her community.
“Rebecca didn’t deserve this,” one neighbor told. “She was always friendly, always willing to lend a hand. To think someone would kill her just because she said no to giving a ride is horrifying.”
As the investigation continues, officials are reviewing Jackson’s background and mental health history. Authorities have not yet released details on whether the weapon was recovered at the time of his arrest.
The case remains under investigation by Blackfoot Police and the Bingham County Prosecutor’s Office.
“This is a deeply disturbing crime that has impacted not only the victim’s family but the entire community,” prosecutors said in a statement. “Our goal is to ensure justice is served for Rebecca Rivera.”
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