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Mother Shot Dead Protecting Son During Facebook Marketplace Sale

Prosecutors upgraded charges after investigators said surveillance video, a recovered gun and an alleged confession tie an 18‑year‑old to the killing.

Overview

  • A transaction arranged through Facebook Marketplace turned violent when an 18‑year‑old prospective buyer allegedly pulled a gun and shot 40‑year‑old Jean Gragg while she stepped between him and her son on June 10.
  • Surveillance video reviewed by investigators reportedly shows the suspect firing multiple times as Gragg ran back toward her home and falling after being struck in the head.
  • Police tracked 18‑year‑old John Harrison Ford to an apartment complex about two miles from the scene, recovered a discarded firearm, and say he gave an admission to detectives during questioning.
  • Gragg was taken to a hospital in critical condition and was later declared brain‑dead before being taken off life support, and prosecutors amended charges to include murder, felony murder, attempted murder, attempted armed robbery and a felony firearm enhancement.
  • The case has focused local attention on safety for in‑person online sales, with officials pointing to police‑designated exchange areas and the wider human cost of market exchanges that turn violent.