A Memphis man accused of shooting and killing his ex-girlfriend at Shelby Farms Park has finally accepted a plea deal nearly two years after the killing, agreeing to spend 40 years behind bars and sparing the victim’s family the ordeal of a trial.
Jackson Hopper, 28, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Wednesday in the October 2024 death of Ellie Young, a medical student at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. Prosecutors say Hopper shot Young following a cancer walk at the park on October 19 of that year.
The agreement came after months of legal back-and-forth. In February, Hopper had turned down an identical 40-year offer, a decision that came despite desperate pleas from those closest to him. His attorney told the court at the time that Hopper’s mother had begged her son in a private courtroom meeting to take the deal.
“Mr. Hopper, contrary to the advice given to him by his mother and by Mr. Warren, and contrary to my opinion as to what the outcome of a jury trial would be, wants to ask, Your Honor, to keep the trial date in July,” the attorney said.
On Wednesday, Hopper changed course and accepted the same terms. Judge Carlyn Addison approved the plea and addressed Young’s family, who were present in the courtroom. “The devastation for both families is immeasurable. The trauma that will continue is, again, immeasurable,” she said.
Young’s family did not speak publicly after the hearing. Their attorney, Mark McDaniel Jr., spoke on their behalf, saying the plea spared them further anguish. “Ultimately, this spares them additional trauma of having to get on the stand at the trial and having the CSI evidence that would, unfortunately, show things that they would never be able to recover from,” he told FOX13.
Prosecutor Monica Timmerman said her team had been ready for either outcome. “It has been an emotional ride; it has been a very intense case. The facts were always on our side, but there were so many of them that getting them all together, it has involved a lot of work and a lot of communication with the family,” she said.
Young’s family has also filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against Hopper and his family, alleging they were aware of his history of domestic violence. Young’s mother previously testified that Hopper had abused her daughter for months before the killing and had sent the family an apology letter.
READ NEXT
- Prince Harry breaks silence on Queen Camilla relationship: “I love every member of my family’
- JD Vance family travel demands draw frustration from Secret Service agents
- Prince Harry Faces Major Setback After Eye-Watering Bill in Phone-Hacking Case Loss
- Stan Lee documentary claims former manager hid millions from comics icon
- Minnesota Man Who Told Police ‘Just Come See’ Scene Pleads Guilty to Fatally Stabbing Pregnant Girlfriend