Jerard Jackson

At a glance

Jerard "Jay" Jackson Age 28 · of Illinois · attended the Electric Forest festival (June 25–28, 2026) at the Double JJ Resort, Rothbury, Michigan
The trip Jackson rented the vehicle and drove a group of friends from Illinois; the group camped in the festival's Good Life area
June 29, 2026 Earlier that morning, Jackson himself called troopers to his campsite to report an alleged criminal incident involving a friend; troopers investigated and determined no crime had occurred. He was last seen leaving the festival alone at about 10 a.m.
Found June 30, 2026 — in a wooded area roughly 150 feet off the Hart-Montague Trail, near his rental vehicle, which was located unoccupied with his wallet and keys inside. His phone and belongings had been left at the campsite
Official position Michigan State Police (Sixth District), June 30: preliminary findings indicate suicide, with no indication of foul play; the investigation remains open pending the medical examiner's final report
Autopsy status As of October 13, 2026, no public release of the final autopsy or toxicology has been reported — more than three months after his death
The dispute His family publicly rejects the preliminary suicide characterization and is calling for a fuller investigation

The case in brief

Jerard Jackson, 28, rented a vehicle, drove a group of friends from Illinois to the Electric Forest festival in Rothbury, Michigan, and camped with them in the Good Life area. On the morning of Monday, June 29, 2026 — after the festival's final day — Jackson called Michigan State Police troopers to his own campsite to report what he believed was a criminal incident involving a friend. Troopers came, interviewed those involved, and determined that no crime had occurred. At about 10 a.m., Jackson was last seen leaving the festival alone, on foot, leaving his phone and belongings behind. His rental vehicle was later found several miles away, unoccupied, his wallet and keys inside. The next day, searchers found his body in the woods near the vehicle, off the Hart-Montague Trail. Within hours, the State Police issued a preliminary finding: suicide, no indication of foul play — expressly subject to the medical examiner's final report. His family has disputed that characterization ever since, pointing to his lack of any diagnosed mental-health condition and to questions about the hours between his trooper contact and his death. As of October 2026, the final autopsy and toxicology have not been publicly released, no one has been charged, and officials have named no person of interest. This file records what is documented, what each side has said, and what is still outstanding.

The timeline — full text

Public statements — who has said what, on the record

• Michigan State Police, Sixth District · June 30, 2026Preliminary findings indicate suicide; no indication of foul play; the investigation remains ongoing pending the medical examiner's final report; condolences to the family. — Release, via Free Press READ ARTICLE
• Michigan State Police · June 29 contact (as reported)Troopers responded to Jackson's own report of an alleged criminal incident involving a friend, interviewed those involved, and determined no criminal incident had occurred. — MSP via Billboard, reported by K97 READ ARTICLE
• The Jackson family · July 2026Reject the preliminary suicide characterization: he had no diagnosed mental-health condition; he was the only Black member of the group; the group left Michigan while he was missing. His mother has told reporters he called her that morning sounding unlike himself and saying he felt unsafe; his sister has asked publicly why more has not been forthcoming about the final hours. — Family statements, via K97 READ ARTICLE and NewsOnMedia READ ARTICLE
• Conor Prettyman, friend · July 2026In his missing-person appeal and later statements: Jackson may have been in crisis and had tried to turn himself in to police; Prettyman says he was asleep when Jackson left, and states he had no involvement in his death and has never been interviewed by detectives. He has acknowledged editing his appeal posts, saying the removed details were not relevant to the search. — Via Untelevised Media READ ARTICLE and Atlanta Black Star reporting
• La Toya Neal, family member · 2026Publicly challenges the "mental health crisis" framing, asking what crime Jackson was reporting if none occurred — and arguing the framing covers the group's drug use instead. The friend has acknowledged drug use by the group that weekend. — Via Untelevised Media READ ARTICLE

Each entry links to the reporting it is drawn from. Entries stamped UNVERIFIED (in the section below) carry a person's own account or claim about the case — credited to them and dated, but not established by investigators.

People & offices in the record

The unverified record — what family & community are saying

TV coverage largely stopped at the June 30 release. The rest of the public record lives in family posts, interviews, fundraisers and online commentary. None of the following has been confirmed by officials. Each claim is credited to its source and stamped accordingly.

• "Someone tried to access his bank account." The family says an attempt was made to access Jackson's bank account roughly two hours after he disappeared. Independent tracking notes the claim has not been confirmed by investigators, and the State Police have not commented on the reported financial activity. UNVERIFIED — Family claim, via Untelevised Media READ ARTICLE
• "Both front doors of the rental were open." The family's account of how the vehicle was found includes its front doors standing open. The police release describes the vehicle only as located unoccupied, with wallet and keys inside. UNVERIFIED — Family account, via Untelevised Media READ ARTICLE
• "Posts were edited and deleted." The family alleges that group members later edited, deleted, or locked down social-media posts about that weekend. Prettyman has acknowledged removing some details from his own posts, saying they were not relevant to the search. UNVERIFIED — Family allegation; response via Untelevised Media READ ARTICLE
• The fundraiser and the hashtag. A family fundraiser under "Justice for Jay" (#J4J) seeks support for the family's efforts; its characterizations of the case are the family's advocacy, presented there in their own words. UNVERIFIED — Family fundraiser page, 2026
• Online conclusions. Commentary channels have asserted conclusions — in both directions — that no released record supports. They are noted here so readers know they exist, and given no weight beyond that. UNVERIFIED — Online commentary, 2026

The records — what exists, and what has not been released

• MSP Sixth District release — issued June 30, 2026; the preliminary finding and the status of the investigation. Status: PUBLIC
• Final autopsy report — the medical examiner's final report is the central outstanding record in this case. As of October 13, 2026, it has not been publicly released. Status: PENDING — NOT RELEASED
• Toxicology — not publicly released. Status: NOT RELEASED
• Trooper records of the June 29 contact — reports and any body-camera footage from the troopers' campsite visit have not been made public. Status: NOT RELEASED
• MSP investigative file — the investigation is described by MSP as active and ongoing; the file is not public. Status: NOT RELEASED

Tips: Michigan State Police accept information via the MichTip system (michigan.gov/michtip · 1-855-642-4847).

Watch & listen

• 🎙️ The family, in their own words. Jackson's family discusses the case and their questions in a live interview on WUVS 103.7 The Beat (Muskegon). Watch the interview →

CrowdSleuth links to published interviews; it does not copy or re-host them.

Documents & reporting