Kevaughn Goldson came to Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, from Kingston, Jamaica, to run. A senior sprinter on the men’s track and field team, he was 23 years old when he was fatally stabbed in the early hours of Monday, February 23.
His girlfriend, Denita Jackson, 27 — also a sprinter on Lincoln’s women’s track and field team, originally from Berbice, Guyana — has been charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. She is being held without bond.
What Happened That Night
According to a probable cause statement obtained by PEOPLE, Jackson called Jefferson City police herself, telling them she had been in a disturbance with Goldson and had stabbed him at her residence.
When officers arrived, they found Goldson in the living room with stab wounds to his chest and back. He was taken to Capital Region Emergency Room, then airlifted to MU Hospital in Columbia, Missouri. He died during surgery.
Court documents paint a picture of jealousy and a volatile relationship that turned deadly. Jackson told investigators she had left Goldson sleeping in her bed that morning when she went to work, not feeling well. She returned early, around 1 a.m., and found her bedding in disarray and Goldson gone from her room.
Suspecting he was with her roommate, she used a hair clip to force open the locked bedroom door. She found Goldson and her roommate in the bed together — both clothed — with a bottle of cologne between them. The cologne, according to court documents, had previously been the subject of a dispute between Goldson and Jackson.
Jackson told police she lunged onto the bed, grabbed the cologne, and grabbed Goldson by his shirt — starting a physical fight. The roommate told them both to stop and fled the room. Goldson allegedly ended up on top of Jackson, pinned her left arm to the ground, and began choking her. Jackson said she spotted a knife under the bed, grabbed it, and stabbed Goldson in the back. When he didn’t react, she stabbed him in the chest.
She then called 911 herself.
A Relationship With a History
The relationship between Goldson and Jackson was not new, and neither were its problems. Jackson told police they had been in what she described as “a volatile relationship” for years. Court documents reference previous domestic violence reports involving the two, and state that multiple friends had urged Jackson to stay away from Goldson.
Goldson did not speak with police after the stabbing and was not interviewed before he died. This pattern — staying silent, not seeking outside help — is something mental health professionals who work with athletes often highlight as a barrier to getting out of dangerous situations.
The University Responds
Lincoln University acknowledged the death in a press release. “Our thoughts are with family, friends, faculty, staff and all who have been impacted by this tragic situation,” the university said. “The well-being of our university community is our greatest priority. Students and employees are reminded of counseling and other support services for those who need them.”
As of publication, no court hearings have been scheduled for Jackson.
