TN v. Jason Chen: Suitcase By The River Murder Trial

Rate’s household reported her missing in Nov. 2022. According to an affidavit, Pace’s moms and dads burglarized Chen’s apartment or condo after tracking her place on Nov. 23. Her moms and dads informed cops they discovered Pace’s recognition and charge card, however there was no indication of Pace or Chen.

Days later on, authorities carried out a search warrant and discovered blood throughout Chen’s apartment or condo. Criminal offense scene service technicians likewise identified there were efforts to clean up the supposed criminal offense scene. A private investigator kept in mind “a big volume of blood had actually been tidied up” and there indications of a “violent physical run-in.”

The affidavit likewise referrals security video that appears to reveal Chen acquiring cleansing materials from a Walgreens and driving Pace’s automobile.

Rate’s body was discovered Dec. 1 in a travel suitcase. Her ankles were handcuffed and shackled to her ideal arm, reported Local 3 News. A medical inspector identified she had actually been stabbed more than 60 times.

EVERYDAY TRIAL HIGHLIGHTS

DAY 5– 1/17/25

• Witness: Sgt. David Franklin, Latent Print Supervisor, Chattanooga Police Department
  • Affirmed that he was asked to examine 3 black trash can, the Toyota, and the Chevy.
  • Found hidden prints on 2 of the trash can– just one had the ability to be examined: It was the outside of the very first bag.
• Witness: Investigator Mark Hamilton, Telecommunication Analyst, Chattanooga Police Department
  • Jason Chen’s iPhone was recuperated from his moms and dads’ home. He had actually switched out SIM cards and utilized the Tinder app.
  • Phone records likewise showed Chen took a trip to a Walmart– he might be seen on video camera purchasing products at Walmart.
• Witness: Det. Zackary Crawford, Chattanooga Police Department, is remembered to the stand
• • Informed the jury that the laptop computers and tablets drawn from Chen’s apartment or condo by the Pace household were NOT sent for assessment.

DAY 4– 1/16/25

• Jurors were revealed criminal offense scene images of Chen’s house. Detectives stated a great deal of blood remained in the house and somebody had actually tried to clean it up.
  • ENJOY: Photos Show Blood Splattered in Jason Chen’s Apartment

DAY 3– 1/15/25

• Criminal offense scene private investigator Michelle Johnson affirmed about browsing Chen’s house.
  • Thing she saw was coffee table was out of positioning with sofa.
  • Behind sofa she saw what she believed to be blood on flooring. States she saw what she thought was blood in every space.
  • Said she discovered glass pieces.
  • Said Bluestar response was “really extreme … the most I’ve ever seen.” (NOTE: BLUESTAR FORENSIC is a blood imagining representative, based upon luminol, utilized in forensics).
  • Confessed that Bluestar recommends the existence of blood, however does not validate it.
  • Affirmed that she did NOT validate Bluestar outcomes utilizing a secondary test.
  • Stated it’s her viewpoint that somebody attempted to tidy up the criminal activity scene.
  • Confessed that it’s possible that authorities might have infected the scene.
  • Confessed that the preliminary search of Chen’s house might have been more extensive.
    • ENJOY: Suitcase By The River Murder Trial: The Bloody Crime Scene

DAY 2– 1/14/25

• Private Investigator Zack Crawford, a murder investigator with the Chattanooga Police, affirmed that the blood test was fasted lane and validated to have actually originated from Jasmine Pace.
  • Crawford existed for the preliminary autopsy; kept in mind that Pace was menstruating when she passed away and the menstrual pad discovered on her matched the pad discovered by the dumpster.
  • Crawford affirmed that an image of a North Face knapsack on a bed followed the knapsack Chen was seen with after the murder; the products in the knapsack followed it being Chen’s.
  • Crawford stated that Chen had an injury to his best palm upon being apprehended that followed knife slippage.
• Det. Stephen Bulkley remembered the discovery of the travel suitcase along the riverbank.
  • He and his group photographed the travel suitcase, gloved up and opened it.
  • Bulkley stated he frequently discovered disposed of products and animals in luggage so they was reluctant to presume it was Jasmine.
  • He saw a black garbage bag and utilized a gloved hand to feel what was within and felt a human head, shoulders and upper body. They were much more specific that it was Jasmine, so we didn’t touch it any longer, called CSI, called their managers, and called the Medical Examiner.
    • • VIEW: Investigator: Notes, Bloody Clothes Link Jason Chen to Murder
      • VIEW: Court Views Surveillance Footage of Jason Chen with Suitcase

DAY 1– 1/13/25

• Prosecution and Defense provide opening declarations.
  • • SEE: Suitcase By The River Murder Trial: Opening Statements
• Experience # 1 is victim Jasmine Pace’s mom, Catrina Bean.
  • Bean affirmed that she and her child remained in nearly continuous contact (they saw and spoke with one another numerous times a day) so she instantly stressed when she didn’t speak with her. It was especially uncommon due to the fact that Bean was attempting to inform Pace that her granny had actually passed away.
  • Bean confessed challenging Jason Chen about Pace’s location, tracking her child’s automobile, and burglarizing Chen’s house– all due to the fact that she was desperate to discover her child.
    • VIEW: Jasmine Pace’s Mother Recalls Search for Daughter
    • SEE: Suitcase By the River Murder Trial: Victim’s Mom Confronted Defendant
    • VIEW: Victim’s Mom: I Broke Into My Daughter’s Alleged Killer’s Apartment

Editor’s note: A previous variation of this reporting stated Pace’s remains were dismembered. Our reporting has actually been upgraded.