LaFayette Man Sentenced to 68 Years for Brutal Attacks, Kidnapping, and Animal Cruelty
LaFayette, GA – A Walker County man has been sentenced to 68 years in prison after being convicted of multiple violent crimes spanning two separate incidents in 2024.
Jarvis Jackson, 43, was found guilty in Walker County Superior Court following a bench trial before Judge Christopher Arnt. The convictions stem from a February 2024 assault on his longtime girlfriend and an August 2024 crime spree against his then-wife.
February 3, 2024 – Assault and Arson Attempt
Evidence presented in court showed that Jackson attacked his longtime girlfriend inside their home, pouring rubbing alcohol on her and setting her on fire. Temporarily blinded, she staggered to a neighbor’s house, suffering severe burns and facial injuries. She later detailed years of physical and emotional abuse at Jackson’s hands and identified him as her attacker. Her testimony, backed by medical evidence and witness support, was key in securing the conviction.
August 18, 2024 – Kidnapping, Animal Cruelty, and Threats
Just months after marrying another woman, Jackson launched another violent attack. Prosecutors said he woke his wife by spitting on her and accusing her of cheating. He then retrieved a pistol and shot her dog as it lay on its bed. While still armed, Jackson forced his wife into a vehicle and threatened to kill her and her adult son if she contacted police. After hours of intimidation, Jackson returned home and ordered her to help clean up the blood and dispose of the dog’s bedding before fleeing to relatives in Alabama. The victim reported the incident two days later to LaFayette Police.
Convictions and Sentence
Jackson was convicted on charges including:
- Aggravated Assault
- Three counts of Aggravated Battery
- Family Violence Aggravated Assault
- Kidnapping
- Aggravated Animal Cruelty
- Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony
On September 24, 2025, Judge Arnt sentenced him to 68 years in the Department of Corrections.
District Attorney’s Statement
District Attorney Clayton M. Fuller credited the work of law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim advocates in bringing the case to trial.
“My thanks to LaFayette Chief of Police Stacey Meeks and his team for their relentless work and leadership in fighting for the public safety of our Main Streets,” Fuller said. “Too many soft-on-crime prosecutors would send a defendant like this back onto the streets for fourteen more arrests. Not in Northwest Georgia. We fight for victims, and we put violent criminals away until the 2090s.”
The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Winston Franklin of the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, with investigative work by Detective Robby Tate of the LaFayette Police Department. Victim-witness advocates Donna Howell and Brittany Bruce provided support to both victims throughout the proceedings.
