A Florida man may be spending his next several birthdays in prison after he reportedly killed a guest at his 35th birthday celebration.
Polk County resident Thomas Jackson and his girlfriend were marking the August 27th occasion by partying with another couple, sheriff’s officials say. When Jackson got into an argument with his girlfriend, the other man escorted him outside in an attempt to defuse the situation, officials say. Moments later, the women inside the home heard shots — and when they looked outside, they saw Jackson standing over the other man’s body with a gun in his hand, according to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. What led to the murder is unclear.
When deputies arrested the birthday boy, he attempted to get himself out of trouble by presented them with a “post-incident card,” which is supposed to help people get out of minor charges, says Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd. “Jackson had a post-incident wallet card,” Judd says. “If he thought he could murder someone and use this as get out of jail free card, he was sadly mistaken.” He’s facing a second-degree murder charge, officials say.