5 shocking details about Jackie Vandagriff's murder

Jackie Vandagriff
Jackie Vandagriff (Image via Jackie Vandagriff/Facebook)

Jackie Vandagriff, the 24-year-old college student, was killed in Texas on September 13, 2016. Her completely burned and mutilated body was discovered close to Grapevine Lake.

Personal trainer and bartender Charles Dean Bryant was convicted of the college student's murder. They only met a few hours before her terrible murder. Although Bryant insisted that the murder was accidental and that she died while they were trying to have a kinky s*x, investigators believe it was pre-meditated.

Charles was arrested a few years later but for an unrelated case. However, investigators were able to draw a connection between the two cases as they delved further.

The 48 Hour, a true-crime series on Investigation Discovery, will examine the unsettling murder mystery. The episode, titled The Murder of Jackie Vandagriff, will air on February 9.

Here's a short synopsis of the episode:

A 24-year-old Texas college student, Jackie Vandagriff, turned up murdered the morning after meeting a man in a bar, raising the question of her death simply because she looked like the killer's ex-girlfriend.

Trigger warning: This article contains mentions of murder. Discretion is advised.


Here are some shocking details about Jackie Vandagriff's murder

1) Jackie Vandagriff looked similar to Charle's ex-girlfriend

Vandagriff just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After facing rejection from his ex-girlfriend Caitlin Mathis, according to investigators, Charles was on a killing spree.

Jackie Vandagriff was seen last at a college bar (Image via CBS)
Jackie Vandagriff was seen last at a college bar (Image via CBS)

As he went to a local college bar in Denton, Texas, he met Jackie Vandagriff, who looked a lot like his ex-girlfriend. Despite Charles claiming that Jackie died from a kinky s*x gone wrong, investigators say he had his intentions in place the moment he met the girl.


2) Charles's ex-girlfriend placed a restraining order against him

Charles had been stalking his 18-year-old girlfriend, Caitlin Mathis. A day after she broke up with him, he appeared in a dorm room in college.

Mathis took no time to place a restraining order against him. Charles made his second attempt to break into her dorm room with a bouquet and a two-page letter. This time, the girl called 911 and complained to the police.

Mathis later said that she ended her relationship with Charles because he was a narcissist who insisted on constant attention.


3) Charles was seen buying a shovel

The night he killed Jackie, he went to Walmart at 4 in the morning to buy a shovel. He wanted to bury her body. As the earth was too hard to dig, he changed his plan and burnt the body instead.

Bones from Jackie's body and the girl's purse were two significant pieces of evidence discovered in Charles' yard.


4) He was convicted of capital murder

Charles Dean Bryant was convicted of capital murder. He was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years. He is currently serving his sentence at the William P. “Bill” Clements Unit in unincorporated Potter County, Texas.

He wasn't found guilty of following his girlfriend.

Charles Dean Bryant was found guilty of first-degree murder (Image via Charles Dean Bryant/ Facebook)
Charles Dean Bryant was found guilty of first-degree murder (Image via Charles Dean Bryant/ Facebook)

5) Jackie was last seen with Charles at the bar

The investigation into the case turned up some intriguing CCTV footage that showed Jackie and Charles together at the college bar.

Jackie was a college student studying nutrition at Texas Woman’s University. She was hoping for bars to find a job.

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Edited by Dev Sharma
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