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Man Charged In Jogger's Death

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By CHRIS ECHEGARAY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 28, 2007

TAMPA - Two weeks after a Seffner woman went for a jog and wound up dead in a burning van, Hillsborough County sheriff's investigators tracked a suspect to the Panhandle and arrested him Thursday.
Kenneth Ray Jackson, 25, was arrested in Carrabelle and charged with first-degree murder in the death of Cuc Thu Tran, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Jackson, of 11528 Canterberry Drive, Seffner, was being held without bail in Franklin County Jail.

A motive for the crime was not clear, Hillsborough sheriff's Maj. Harold Winsett said. During a news conference Thursday in Ybor City, Tran's 10-year-old son sobbed uncontrollably as investigators recounted the story of his mother's death.

Tran, 50, went on her usual morning jog Sept. 13, wearing pink rollers in her hair. She left her home at Grand View Mobile Home Park in Seffner at 5:30 a.m.

That same day, her body was found 13 miles away. She had been stabbed to death and then set ablaze in a stolen van. It was in a vacant lot on Bullfrog Creek Road, off East Bay Road in Gibsonton. The van was stolen from an Advanced Discount Auto parking lot.

The body was burned so badly that authorities could not make out the victim's race or gender at the time.

One of Tran's three sons reported her missing at 4 p.m. that afternoon.

Authorities interviewed witnesses and found physical evidence that led to Jackson, investigators said.

Tran's blood-soaked clothes were discovered on the grounds of a church in Seffner by a lawn maintenance worker, Winsett said Thursday.

Investigators found Jackson in Carabelle, where he has family and friends, Winsett said. He said Jackson consented to give a DNA sample and when the results matched evidence from Tran's clothes, an arrest warrant was issued.
Winsett said investigators had not determined why Tran was attacked. Authorities did not say whether she was sexually assaulted.

Tran's relatives, who described her as family-oriented, said they were shocked she was targeted. Son Truong Tran, 16, a student at Armwood High School, said detectives had been helpful throughout the case.

'It's been very traumatic,' Truong Tran said. 'We keep our heads up and we are trying. That's how Mom would like us to be.'

Tran held licenses as a cosmetologist and nail technician. She had lived in the Seffner area for several years and had lived in Worcester, Mass., records show. She worked at Lee Nail Spa at Westfield Brandon mall for about six years.

Jackson was released from prison July 26 after serving four years on grand theft charges from Franklin County.

Reporter Chris Echegaray can be reached at (813) 259-7920 or cechegaray@tampatrib.com.

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