In the quiet town of Summerfield, Florida, a brutal crime shook the community in April 2011 when 15-year-old Seath Jackson was lured into a deadly trap by his former girlfriend and subsequently murdered by her and a group of accomplices. The chilling murder involved multiple teenagers and unfolded with a betrayal that culminated in violence and tragedy.
Jackson’s ex-girlfriend, 15-year-old Amber Wright, was pivotal in orchestrating the attack. It came after a brief three-month relationship that ended amidst suspicions of infidelity involving another teen, 18-year-old Michael Bargo, who ultimately pulled the trigger. Bargo, along with Wright and other young accomplices, had nurtured a growing animosity toward Jackson which set the stage for the planned murder.
On the fateful day, Jackson was misled by Wright into believing they could reconcile, a ploy to draw him to a mobile home where the group awaited. There, he was viciously attacked; he suffered beating and shooting before his body was disposed of in a manner most callous. The victim’s remains were burned, and the ashes were later placed in paint containers, an attempt by the perpetrators to erase all traces of their gruesome act.
Michael Bargo faced the gravest consequence; he was convicted and sentenced to death, marking him as Florida’s youngest inmate on death row. His sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2021. Meanwhile, Wright, her brother Kyle Hooper, Charlie Ely, and Justin Soto faced charges of first-degree murder. The case against them was solidified by distressing footage revealing their reactions as they were informed about their charges, indicating the weight of their actions in Jackson’s planned murder.
A dramatic turn in the legal proceedings came when Charlie Ely, after nine years behind bars, was released in 2020 following a plea to a lesser charge. In a related development, James Havens, who was the ex-boyfriend of Wright’s mother, confessed in 2018 to being an accessory after the crime. He admitted to assisting the teens in disposing of Jackson’s remains and received a 10-year sentence for his involvement.
Detective Rhonda Stroup of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office played a key role in bringing the teenagers to justice. In a notable exchange caught on video during the arrests, Stroup emphasized the seriousness of the crime to the suspects, confronting their initial denials and underscoring the reality that their actions had directly led to a person’s death.
The repercussions of this heart-wrenching crime have rippled through the small Florida community, highlighting the disturbing potential for violence among teenagers and the tragic consequences of manipulation and betrayal. As the legal outcomes continue to unfold, the case remains a stark reminder of the severity of juvenile crime and its lasting impact on all involved.