Sixteen-year-old Jerome J.J. Rambo Jr., a freshman at Burkeville High School, was shot and killed at a party on November 10, 2024, at the Elam Event Center on U.S. Highway 190 East. Emergency responders took him to Jasper Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly before 5 a.m. His family described him as caring and fond of video games and sports and said they are grieving and seeking justice.

The Newton County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation, identified persons of interest, and conducted interviews. On November 27, 2024, one person was charged with tampering with physical evidence with intent to impair (third-degree felony) and deadly conduct (Class A misdemeanor) and was apprehended in another state pending extradition; family members say that person was at the scene but is not believed to be the primary shooter and that the main perpetrator remains at large. The Sheriff urged the community to come forward with information. Who knew Jerome or saw anything at the Elam Event Center that night?