A Tennessee man is on trial for allegedly murdering his girlfriend in 2022 and meticulously documenting details of her past. Jasmine Pace, 22, was discovered handcuffed and fatally stabbed inside a suitcase beside a road in Chattanooga, Tennessee, shortly after her family reported her missing.
Investigators, spurred by the family’s insistence, searched the home of Pace’s intermittent boyfriend, Jason Chen, leading to charges against him for first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse... Continue reading here ▶
During the trial, evidence of their volatile relationship emerged, including notes Chen had kept on his wall detailing Pace’s history, found during a police search at his family’s home in Nolensville.
Detective Zack Crawford testified that these notes charted the timeline of their relationship and included detailed accounts of Pace’s challenging childhood, periods of homelessness, and a previous escape to Canada.
The courtroom also saw photos of these notes, which were color-coded with additional drawings.
More damning evidence included blood discovered under the carpet in Chen’s bedroom, suggesting violent acts had taken place there. Prosecutors stated that Pace was stabbed 60 times and then placed in the suitcase with her arms handcuffed to her legs.
The investigation intensified after her family took proactive steps, including tracking her phone to Chen’s residence, where they entered using a credit card and found Pace’s belongings. This discovery led to Chen’s arrest at his family’s home three hours away.
While Chen’s defense acknowledges he killed Pace, they argue it was voluntary manslaughter, not premeditated murder. They claim Pace attacked him with a wine bottle after discovering he had messaged other women, leading to Chen stabbing her in self-defense and then blacking out.
The ongoing trial could result in varying sentences for Chen, ranging from a possible death penalty or life imprisonment without parole for first-degree murder, to up to 15 years in prison and a $10,000 fine if convicted of voluntary manslaughter.
