Sugar Creek, Missouri — A 43-year-old man, Jacob Ackerman, is facing charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action after he allegedly shot and killed his brother in the back of the head following a heated argument “over a girl.”
The Incident
Police in Sugar Creek, a suburb of Kansas City, began investigating the death on Saturday night after the victim’s family realized he hadn’t moved for over seven hours. They used the Life360 app to track his last known location to Highway M-291 and Highway 210, the probable cause statement shows. The family provided police with more precise details, which led officers to the northeast corner of a nearby pond, where the victim’s body was found lying on the bank with a gunshot wound to the back of his head.
Family Suspects Brother’s Involvement
Relatives of the victim quickly suspected Ackerman, who had a history of mental health issues and had been jealous of his brother for much of his life due to his brother’s success. They also noted the victim’s Mercedes was found at Ackerman’s home. According to the probable cause statement, during a call with the medical examiner’s office, an unknown person in the background allegedly referred to the incident as a “Cain and Abel situation,” which seemed to suggest a brotherly conflict.
Ackerman’s Arrest
Ackerman was arrested early Sunday morning at a McDonald’s in Kansas City. After being detained, a family member reportedly asked him why he killed his brother, to which he gave a “blank stare,” according to the affidavit. Investigators also learned that the victim had taken a selfie with Ackerman at the location where his body was found, and surveillance footage from a nearby gas station showed the two men arriving together in the victim’s car.
Confession and Details of the Shooting
Initially, Ackerman denied knowing where his brother was, but after being told the evidence pointed to him, he allegedly stated, “if it looks bad, then it’s bad.” When detectives requested to search his home, he reportedly said, “you are going to do what you are going to do.”
After being given his Miranda warnings, Ackerman confessed to the murder, admitting that he shot his brother in the head after an argument over a girl. He also allegedly told police that he had hidden the murder weapon in an attic crawl space.
Charges and Bail
Ackerman was arrested and taken to Jackson County Jail where he remains on a $300,000 cash bail. Police have not publicly identified the victim at this time.
