Britney Overton sentenced to 20 years in robbery that led to death of Alex Jackson
MARTINSVILLE — A Morgan County judge sentenced Britney Overton to 20 years in state prison Thursday for her involvement in the death of Alexander Dashiell Jackson, a 23-year-old Illinois man who family members said moved to Indiana to try to start a new life for himself.
Overton, 27, of Indianapolis, previously pleaded guilty on May 19 to a charge of robbery resulting in serious bodily injury, a level two felony, in connection with Jackson's death.
Overton was charged as a co-defendant in the case along with Justin Blake, 22, also of Indianapolis, who was sentenced in March to 61 years in prison for Jackson's murder.
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As part of her plea agreement and in exchange for her testimony during Blake's trial, the murder charge against her was dropped.
Jackson's body was found dead of a gunshot wound in a wooded area along Mann Road on Sept. 13, 2019, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Morgan County Sheriff's Office.
Overton and Blake were arrested in connection with Jackson's death following 11 months of investigation after authorities determined that Blake pulled the trigger while Overton was at the crime scene.
Victim impact statements
Prior to Morgan County Superior Court I Judge Pete Foley's ruling, the court heard victim impact statements from several of Jackson's family members.
LaLonna Jackson, Alex Jackson's mother, said her son made "the largest mistake of his life" in believing Overton was his friend.
"You, Britney Overton, have robbed us of years of happiness and replaced them with years of sorrow," Jackson said in her statement delivered via Zoom.
Penny Matthews, who was Jackson's sister, described Overton as a "manipulative" person who took advantage of Jackson during a vulnerable point in his life.
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Since his death, she and other family members have been prescribed medications for anxiety and depression to help cope with the loss, she said.
Alex Jackson's father, David Good, delivered an emotional statemen as he described the pain he has endured since his son's death.
His voice breaking, Good said he can no longer look at his son's picture without breaking down. He blamed Overton, more than Blake, for her son's death.
"She has done nothing but lie and minimize her own involvement," he said. "We all know she was the mastermind behind it."
Prosecutor argues against minimum sentence
Overton faced a minimum of 10 years and a maximum of 30 years in prison on the robbery resulting in bodily injury charge.
Morgan County Prosecutor Steve Sonnega argued that Overton should face at least 20 years, given her prior criminal history as well as the fact that she continued to commit crimes following Jackson's murder and failed to inform law enforcement authorities of her involvement in a timely manner.
Defense points to client's difficult upbringing
Allen Lidy, Overton's attorney, said his client's difficult upbringing — she was assaulted in her youth and often lived on the streets — led to her poor decision-making later in life.
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"The person before you is a byproduct of years and years of fighting, of transience, of living on the fringes and edges of society," Lidy said.
Foley said he weighed all of these factors in his decision to sentence Overton to 20 years in prison.
Overton was given 820 days of credit for time spent in jail, and her court fees were also waived. She has the right to appeal her sentence but not the guilty verdict.
Contact reporter Peter Blanchard at 765-346-2942 or pblanchard@reporter-times.com. Follow him on Twitter @peterlblanchard.
This article originally appeared on The Reporter Times: Britney Overton sentenced to 20 years for role in murder case
