Man Forced Entry into Former Partner’s Home, Fatally Shooting Her in Front of Children

An Ohio man who barged into the home of his ex-girlfriend and shot her in front of her children pleaded guilty to her murder.

Tony Jackson, 32, originally faced 11 felony charges in connection with the fatal shooting of 34-year-old Matyka Brown, which took place in February at her home in Dayton, Ohio. According to Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck, Jackson showed up at Brown’s home on Feb. 10 while she was there with her new boyfriend. Jackson left, then returned to the house, broke into it, and threatened Brown and her two daughters, ages 9 and 14 years old, with a gun.

Jackson fired one shot at Brown as the girls fled, then pulled the trigger to deliver the fatal shot to the girls’ mother as they ran to their neighbors’ house to get help.

According to coverage of the case by Dayton Daily News, Brown’s neighbors called 911 when her daughters arrived at their home. Dayton police responded to the scene, where they found Brown in her bedroom, dead of gunshot wounds.

While announcing Jackson’s indictment later that month, Heck stated that Jackson and Brown had a documented history of domestic violence, including an arrest as recently as October 2024. Heck said that prior to the October incident, Jackson had been out of prison just four months after serving a sentence for aggravated robbery. That October, Jackson returned to prison after being convicted for strangling Brown.

Jackson had been set free on Jan. 26, about two weeks before he killed Brown.

Among the charges Jackson faced prior to his plea deal were aggravated murder, murder, aggravated burglary, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence and having weapons while having committed a prior offense of violence. On Tuesday, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated murder and all other charges were dismissed.

Jackson is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 16.