The basketball world is reeling from the tragic death of Samuel “Sammy” Jackson, a former coach at Fort Valley State University, whose disappearance and subsequent homicide have shocked the HBCU community.
Samuel Jackson, 59, was reported missing by his wife, Jill Jackson, on January 27, 2025, just one day after she received a concerning text message from him asking for his social security number late the night before. That evening, Jackson had been working as an Uber Eats driver to earn extra income.
According to police reports, authorities discovered Jackson’s BMW abandoned in Bonaire, Georgia, with personal belongings scattered throughout the vehicle. Jackson’s family tracked his phone, which ultimately pinged in northwest Atlanta. On January 31, Jackson was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds near Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway.
Homicide detectives at the Atlanta Police Department have identified a person of interest, 30-year-old Iquane Brown, in connection to Jackson’s murder. Brown is currently held at the Houston County Jail on unrelated robbery charges while the investigation continues.
Jackson served as head men’s basketball coach at Fort Valley State from 2011 to 2018, leading the Wildcats to two Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship appearances and multiple winning seasons before resigning in 2018.
Before his tenure at Fort Valley State, Jackson held coaching positions at Savannah State University and assisted at other universities, including Alabama A&M, the University of Alabama, and Georgia Southern. He was also a standout college player at the University of Montevallo.
The loss of Samuel Jackson resonates deeply within the HBCU community, where he built lasting relationships and inspired countless young athletes.
This article sources information from Fox 5 Atlanta reports.