Sammy Jackson Obituary, Death – Sammy Jackson, a former head basketball coach at Fort Valley State University and Savannah State University, was found dead in northwest Atlanta, and authorities are investigating his death as a homicide. The Atlanta Police Department reported that Jackson’s body was discovered in a wooded area on Wednesday with apparent gunshot wounds. His family had reported him missing earlier after last hearing from him Sunday night when he was about to begin work for a food delivery service.
Jackson, who also worked as a rideshare driver, was reported missing to the Peach County Sheriff’s Office. On Monday, authorities found his abandoned vehicle in Houston County, approximately 110 miles south of Atlanta.
The Atlanta Police Department has identified 30-year-old Iquane Brown as a person of interest in the case. Brown reportedly ordered a rideshare service in Houston County on the same day Jackson was found dead. He is currently in custody at the Houston County Jail on an unrelated robbery charge from Warner Robins.
Jackson’s career in basketball spanned several years, during which he served as head coach at Fort Valley State from 2011 to 2018 and at Savannah State from 1999 to 2000. He also held assistant coaching roles at the University of Alabama, Georgia Southern University, Alabama A&M University, and Tennessee State University.
Colleagues and friends remembered Jackson as a compassionate and helpful individual. Kareem Kenney, a former assistant coach under Jackson, expressed the desire for answers and justice for his former mentor.
The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to piece together the events leading to Jackson’s death.