Man pleads guilty in ’06 store robbery, murder

By Denise Dick

The trial for two additional men is set for Sept. 21.

YOUNGSTOWN — One of three men charged in the May 2006 robbery and murder of an Auto Zone clerk has pleaded guilty to his role in the crimes.

As part of a plea agreement, Jamaad Jackson, 21, of Wychwood Lane, Youngstown, pleaded guilty Friday to involuntary manslaughter, aggravated robbery and a specification that a gun was used.

The involuntary-manslaughter charge was amended from aggravated murder.

Judge Lou A. D’Apolito of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court accepted the plea.

On May 2, 2006, Edward Agee, 52, a clerk at the Auto Zone store on McCartney Road, was shot and killed when three men wearing Halloween-style masks entered the store as part of a robbery attempt.

Under the plea deal, Jackson is expected to comply with “terms and conditions,” although Martin Desmond, an assistant Mahoning County prosecutor, wouldn’t say what those conditions are.

The trial for two more men charged in the crime is set to start Sept. 21.

“He will be sentenced thereafter,” Desmond said.

In June, a Mahoning County grand jury returned a superseding indictment adding an aggravated-murder charge with a firearm specification against Reginald Everson, 23, of Chalmers Avenue, who previously was charged only with aggravated robbery in the crime.

Melvin T. Dixon Jr., 25, of Devon Avenue, is charged with aggravated murder and aggravated robbery with firearm specifications and illegal gun possession.

Desmond and Atty. J. Gerald Ingram, who represents Jackson, agreed on a recommended sentence of a total of nine years in prison for Jackson — six years each on the involuntary-manslaughter and aggravated-robbery charges, to be served concurrently, plus three years on the gun specification.

Jackson wasn’t the shooter in Agee’s death, the assistant prosecutor said.

No sentencing date was set.

Desmond said that the victim’s family was notified about the plea, but none of the family members attended Friday’s proceeding.

Jackson and his mother, Twanda Crockett, exchanged “I-love-yous” as Jackson was led from the courtroom.

She said the May 2006 crime was the first time her son had been in trouble. She was upset about continued media coverage, saying her family and her son just want to move on.

“My heart goes out to the victim’s family,” Crockett said.

Jackson had just graduated from high school when the crime happened and was thinking about going to college. She attributed her son’s involvement to peer pressure.

He was working as a mechanic at the Austintown Wal-Mart when the crime occurred, she said, adding he was doing well there and was well-liked.

“He has to pick his head up and go on,” she said.

denise_dick@vindy.com