Glenn Jackson has entered Alford pleas to manslaughter, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of his wife, Ella Diebolt Jackson, who was reported missing from Richmond, Kentucky, on Oct. 22, 2019. Partial skeletal remains were found near property he owned about a week after his 2020 arrest. Prosecutors recommended a 14-year sentence; Jackson could be eligible for release in as little as eight years if given credit for prior house arrest. Ella’s ex-husband said she had repeatedly messaged that she was "very scared" in the years before her disappearance.
Glenn Jackson Enters Alford Plea in Wife’s Death After Her ‘Very Scared’ Messages — Prosecutors Seek 14 Years
Ella Diebolt Jackson, left, and Glenn JacksonRichmond Police Department
Glenn Jackson has entered Alford pleas to manslaughter, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence in the death of his wife, Ella Diebolt Jackson, whose disappearance in 2019 drew widespread attention in Richmond, Kentucky.
Case Background
Ella was reported missing by her husband on Oct. 22, 2019. In 2020, following an investigation, Glenn Jackson was charged with murder and evidence-tampering. About one week after his arrest, investigators found partial skeletal remains in a wooded area near property owned by Glenn, according to local reporting.
What an Alford Plea Means
An Alford plea allows a defendant to maintain a claim of innocence while acknowledging that prosecutors likely have sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. By entering these pleas, Jackson avoided a trial while accepting exposure to the penalties associated with the charges.
Allegations and Family Impact
At the time of Ella’s death, the couple shared a young son, then about five years old. Ella’s former husband, Jason Hans, wrote on Facebook that he had remained friends with her after their divorce and that she had expressed fear for her safety beginning around 2015. Hans quoted a number of messages and hurried phone calls in which Ella said she was "very scared" and described waking up to being dragged and feeling unable to leave a bedroom for basic needs.
“I need your help,” and “I am very scared,” were among the messages Hans said Ella sent, adding that she worried for both her child and herself.
Possible Sentence and Next Steps
Prosecutors have recommended a 14-year sentence. Local reporting notes Jackson could be eligible for release in as little as eight years if credited for prior house arrest and time served. Jackson is a former lecturer at Eastern Kentucky University; the case has been covered by the Lexington Herald-Leader, Fox 56 and LEX 18, among others.
This reporting synthesizes details from local news outlets and earlier coverage by PEOPLE. The Alford pleas set the stage for sentencing rather than a contested trial, and the case remains a source of grief for Ella’s family and community.
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