Public urged to come forward with any information that may be related to brutal murder of HSTA employee
Updated: July 3, 2024
Family and friends of a former Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association employee are renewing their call for help 14 years after her brutal murder.
Amber Jackson was born and raised in Riverside, Calif., and had been living on Kauaʻi for 10 years.
On July 3, 2010, Jackson’s body was found by hunting dogs in a remote location in Kealia. According to autopsy results, she suffered from what appeared to be blunt force trauma to her head and sustained injuries that had been caused by an assault. She was 57 years old.
Jackson had been missing since June 23, 2010. She was a secretary in the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association’s Kauaʻi office. Colleagues contacted police when she failed to show up for work.
Police say her car was found parked in the driveway of her Kapahi home with her purse and cell phone inside. Her killer was never identified and no arrest was made.
“We are still grieving our beloved Amber’s senseless and brutal murder and we are not giving up,” said Matt Alexander, Jackson’s nephew. “We know that someone out there has information that could help solve the case. If you or someone you know has information that could shed light on the murder of Amber Jackson, please come forward.”
In 2023, Unsolved Mysteries released a podcast on Jackson’s murder. “Hawaiian Homicide” explores Jackson’s death, and the Kauaʻi Police Department (KPD) announced that they had reopened the case.
Jackson’s murder also captured the attention of the television show, Breaking Homicide. Host Derrick Levasseur, a former detective and private investigator, and the show’s production team flew to Kauaʻi to review the case. The episode, titled “A Murder in Paradise,” aired in July 2019 on Investigation Discovery.
Alexander, who was interviewed for the show, said forensic technology allowed the team to uncover new developments in the case. “It’s not just for ratings. Everything they say and do is to help the family and police solve the case. So post-show, I’m very excited that there might be a resolution to this,” he said.
Kauaʻi police previously said investigators were following up on the show’s leads, diligently re-examining evidence and interviewing people who may have known Jackson and who may have information pertaining to the cold case. KPD continues to work with the Kauaʻi Office of Prosecuting Attorney and outside agencies on forensic evidence and DNA testing.
“We have not given up in our pursuit to find the suspect(s) involved in this appalling tragedy,” Investigative Services Bureau Assistant Chief Bryson Ponce said at the time. “What keeps us going and what has given us hope is that, even though it’s (over) 10 years later, there are evolving scientific methods that are being undertaken to potentially help discover the killer(s). We believe this case is solvable and that we may be closer to finding out who might have played a part in her untimely death.”
Despite their efforts, no arrest has been made.
The Amber Jackson Justice Group, formed by Jackson’s family and friends, is offering a $20,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of Jackson’s killer.
Rebecca Like, Kauaʻi Prosecuting Attorney, said, “The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney (OPA) continues to invest resources in solving the Amber Jackson homicide. Through technological advances, as well as through lessons learned via conversations with police and prosecutors nationwide, OPA regularly adjusts and expands its investigation into this tragedy.
“We believe that there are witnesses to Amber’s violent death who have information that could lead to resolution of the case and the apprehension of the perpetrator(s). We implore those individuals to come forward, whether they have previously spoken to investigators or not. OPA is committed to bringing justice to any individual involved in Amber’s disappearance and slaying, and that commitment will never fade.”
Anyone with information should contact Kauaʻi Police Department, Crime Stoppers, the FBI, or the Kauaʻi Office of Prosecuting Attorney Cold Case Unit. All information will be kept confidential.
- Kaua‘i Police Department: Detective Silva, (808) 241-1908
- Crime Stoppers Kauaʻi: (808) 246-8300; cskauai.org; Crime Stoppers Kauaʻi P3 Tips Mobile App
- FBI tip line: (808) 566-4300; Press #1
This article has been updated since its initial posting.