Who Was Jasmine “Jazzy” Pace & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile

Jasmine “Jazzy” Pace was a 22-year-old college student from Tennessee whose life ended in a homicide that drew national attention and became the focus of NBC’s Dateline episode The Pin at Apartment 210. Known to family and friends as Jazzy, she was remembered as a loved daughter, sister, cousin, and friend whose close family connections made her sudden disappearance immediately alarming to those around her.

Jasmine came from a family that remained deeply involved in one another’s lives. Relatives described it as unusual and concerning when she stopped responding to messages and missed family plans during Thanksgiving week in November 2022. Her absence stood out because loved ones expected regular communication, especially during an important holiday gathering.

Her family’s quick recognition that something was wrong became one of the most significant factors in the early stages of the investigation. Rather than assuming Jasmine had simply gone off-grid, relatives began actively searching for her, following digital clues and trying to retrace her recent movements.

• “The Pin at Apartment 210”: Dateline Investigates Jasmine “Jazzy” Pace Homicide April 11 2026
• Who Is Jason Chen & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

The Days Before Jasmine Pace Disappeared

Concern began building after Jasmine failed to attend Thanksgiving dinner with her family. According to relatives, no one had spoken with her since shortly after the death of her great-grandmother, which added to fears because Jasmine had been expected to remain in contact during that emotional family period.

As loved ones searched for answers, they noticed troubling changes connected to Jasmine’s online accounts. Her social media passwords had been changed, and a revealing image was posted to Facebook that family members said did not reflect her usual behavior. Those developments increased suspicion that someone else may have been controlling her accounts.

Using available digital information, Jasmine’s family tracked signs that eventually pointed them toward the Chattanooga apartment of her on-again, off-again boyfriend, Jason Chen. Family members later entered the apartment themselves and located personal belongings that belonged to Jasmine, discoveries that helped intensify police involvement.

What Happened Inside Apartment 210

Investigators later searched Jason Chen’s apartment at the Lofts at Tremont complex in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Prosecutors said evidence found there showed Jasmine had been attacked inside the residence.

Crime scene investigators used BlueStar forensic testing to detect blood evidence throughout the apartment. Even in places that appeared cleaned, the chemical reaction revealed what investigators described as a large amount of blood. Blood was found beneath carpeting and in multiple areas of the apartment.

During trial testimony, prosecutors argued Jasmine was killed there after being stabbed repeatedly. Medical evidence later confirmed the severity of the attack and helped reconstruct Jasmine’s final moments.

The Discovery of Jasmine Pace’s Body

In early December 2022, investigators located Jasmine Pace’s remains near Suck Creek Road along the Tennessee River outside Chattanooga.

Her body had been placed inside a suitcase and discarded near the riverbank. Court testimony revealed she had been wrapped in three black trash bags before being put inside the suitcase. She was also found handcuffed and shackled using improvised restraints.

Police located the site after analyzing cellphone data connected to Jason Chen. Prosecutors argued the digital evidence helped trace movements made after Jasmine’s death and led investigators directly to where her body had been abandoned.

The discovery confirmed the fears Jasmine’s family had been facing for days and transformed the missing person search into a murder case.

Autopsy Findings and Cause of Death

Hamilton County Medical Examiner Dr. Steven Cogswell testified during trial that Jasmine Pace suffered around 60 stab wounds.

The injuries were concentrated mainly around her scalp, face, chin, neck, and head. Dr. Cogswell also testified that Jasmine’s jugular vein had been cut and that one knife wound penetrated her lung deeply enough for the blade tip to break off inside her body.

Medical testimony indicated Jasmine did not die instantly. Dr. Cogswell estimated that death occurred over several minutes following the attack.

These findings became central evidence during Jason Chen’s murder trial, helping prosecutors demonstrate both the violence of the attack and the suffering Jasmine endured.

Investigation and Jason Chen’s Arrest

Jason Chen, Jasmine’s on-again, off-again boyfriend, quickly became the central suspect in the investigation.

Police arrested Chen at his parents’ home near Nashville after gathering evidence from the Chattanooga apartment, reviewing surveillance footage, and analyzing cellphone records.

Prosecutors also presented evidence showing Chen purchased cleaning supplies after Jasmine disappeared. Investigators recovered Jasmine’s SIM card from Chen when he was arrested, although her cellphone itself was never found.

Additional testimony revealed investigators found sticky notes at Chen’s family home containing detailed information about Jasmine’s personal history and their relationship timeline. Prosecutors introduced those notes as part of the broader evidence presented during trial.

Trial and Outcome

Jason Chen was charged with first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse in Jasmine Pace’s death.

During trial, Chen’s defense acknowledged that he killed Jasmine but argued the case should be considered voluntary manslaughter instead of premeditated murder. Defense attorneys claimed an argument escalated after Jasmine allegedly confronted Chen about messages to other women.

Prosecutors rejected that explanation and pointed to the stabbing, the cleanup inside the apartment, the concealment of Jasmine’s body, and efforts to dispose of her remains as evidence supporting a murder conviction.

Jason Chen was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence in connection with Jasmine Pace’s death.

Jasmine Pace’s Legacy

Jasmine Pace’s case has remained in the public eye not only because of the violence involved, but because of the determination shown by her family.

Their refusal to stop searching, their willingness to track clues themselves, and their persistence in demanding answers played a major role in keeping attention on Jasmine when she first disappeared.

For loved ones, Jasmine is remembered far beyond the circumstances of her death. She is remembered as Jazzy, a young woman whose absence was noticed immediately because she mattered deeply to the people around her.

The conviction in Jason Chen’s case delivered justice through the legal system, but for Jasmine Pace’s family, the lasting focus remains on preserving her memory and making sure her story is never forgotten.