Dorien Jackson

A teen is found dead in Lake Townsend
Dorien Daymon Jackson, an 18-year-old African-American man from High Point, North Carolina, was a beloved son who was known to friends by the nickname "Wizzo." His life was cut tragically short in early 2013, leaving his family with lingering questions and a community searching for answers. He would have turned 19 that June.

The last time Dorien’s family saw him alive was the night of January 10, 2013. Around midnight, after receiving a phone call from a friend, he left his home on Tangle Lane on his bicycle. When he did not return, his family grew worried and reported him missing on January 13. In the weeks that followed, family and friends organized their own search parties, desperate to find him. The search took a turn in early February when Dorien's bicycle was discovered in a wooded area at City Lake Park in Jamestown, prompting a more focused search by the Guilford County Sheriff's Office in High Point and the Five Points area, but Dorien remained missing.

On the afternoon of March 3, 2013, the search came to a devastating end. Three fishermen on Lake Townsend in Greensboro, about 20 miles from where Dorien was last seen, spotted a body in the water off Plainfield Road and immediately contacted law enforcement. The Greensboro Police Department responded to the scene and recovered the body. Due to the significant time it had been submerged, the body was badly decomposed and could not be visually identified. Investigators were able to make a positive identification using fingerprint records, confirming the family's worst fears: it was Dorien Jackson. He was still wearing the Old Navy sweatshirt and Levi's blue jeans he had on the night he disappeared.

The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s office conducted an autopsy, which ruled Dorien's death a homicide. The report revealed he had died from a single gunshot wound to the back of his neck. The bullet injured his cervical spine and right vertebral artery before exiting through his mouth. His father, Henry Jackson, learned of the brutal details from media reports. "Lord have mercy," he said in an interview. The discovery of his son's body provided a painful answer to where he was, but opened up a new chapter of questions. "The last chapter — who did it and why — that's the last chapter we want to close," Henry Jackson said.

The investigation, which shifted to the Greensboro Police Department after the discovery of the body, was hampered by a lack of evidence. Detectives actively investigated the case, and multiple law enforcement agencies planned to canvass the area where Dorien went missing to distribute flyers, search for evidence, and reassure residents. "If there is anyone in the community that has information that they think would be helpful, they can call Crimestoppers or the Greensboro Police Department directly," said Greensboro police Capt. R. Sigmon at the time.

In the months and years since Dorien's death, his family has endured unimaginable grief. His father spoke of sleepless nights and the emotional rollercoaster of hope and despair. He found some comfort in speaking with other families across the country who had experienced similar losses. "It boosts you up," he said. "You're up a couple of days, then you go back down."

The case remains an active and unsolved homicide. Shortly after the murder, Greensboro/Guilford County CrimeStoppers offered a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest or indictment. The governor's office later added a $5,000 reward. As of May 2024, no arrests have been made, and Dorien Jackson's killer has not been brought to justice. The Greensboro Police Department continues to ask for the public's help. Anyone with information is urged to call Greensboro/Guilford County CrimeStoppers at (336) 373-1000 or the Greensboro Police Department at (336) 373-2222.