Shivangi Sinha
In October 2019, Ella Jackson was reported missing by her eldest son, Phillip Hans. He regularly spoke to his mother, and when he was unable to reach her for several days, he knew something was wrong. In the weeks that followed, detectives spoke with Ella’s husband, Glenn Jackson, who gave varying accounts of the circumstances surrounding her disappearance. As the investigation progressed, evidence began pointing toward him, and he was eventually charged and convicted in connection with her killing. NBC’s ‘Dateline: The Bluegrass Mystery’ details the investigation that followed and the evidence that ultimately led to Glenn’s arrest and conviction.
Glenn Jackson Gave Different Accounts of His Wife’s Disappearance to the Police
Glenn Jackson married Ella Diebolt in the early 2010s. By that time, Ella had been married twice before and had a son, Phillip Hans, with her former husband, Jason Hans. In 2015, Glenn began working as a senior English lecturer at Eastern Kentucky University. He taught English and honors rhetoric and was admired by many of his students for being a patient and kind educator who appeared to care about them. Glenn and Ella also welcomed a son together and settled into what seemed like a normal, ordinary life at their home on Westwood Drive.
In October 2019, when Phillip was unable to get in touch with his mother, he knew something was wrong. He decided to report her missing. Detectives interviewed Glenn, who told them he last saw his wife on October 20, 2019, when she took their dogs to the park. He suggested that Ella might have abandoned their then 5-year-old son and also claimed that she would routinely disappear and later return, which was why he was not overly concerned. However, when investigators spoke with Ella’s family, they painted a very different picture. They said that Ella had accused Glenn of being violent toward her. According to her relatives, she had allegedly been afraid of him and had even told them that if anything ever happened to her, they should look at Glenn.
Glenn Jackson Lost His Job Before He Was Arrested on Murder Charges
On October 29, 2019, detectives executed a search warrant at Ella and Glenn’s house and at his vehicle. Using luminol, they detected what appeared to be a bloodstain measuring roughly 2 feet in diameter on the trunk of the car. Investigators also recovered a knife that reacted to luminol, along with gloves, sandals, and a brass knuckle. Inside the home, Ella’s phone, wallet, and car keys were still present, which did not support Glenn’s claim that she had left of her own free will. Detectives collected DNA swabs from blood found on a bathroom floor and wall, and also recovered burnt plaid clothing and zippers from a fire pit. The blood samples taken from both the house and the vehicle were later tested and confirmed to belong to Ella.
In February 2020, before any major official progress had been made in the case, Glenn was laid off from his position at the university after five years of service. As the investigation continued, detectives learned that Ella’s husband had donated her clothes shortly after she was reported missing. They also uncovered evidence suggesting that he was allegedly involved in another romantic relationship. On April 24, 2020, Glenn was arrested and charged with capital murder, abuse of a corpse, and three counts of tampering with physical evidence. Just days later, on April 28, Ella’s remains were discovered in a wooded area of Pulaski County near the Cumberland Parkway. The location was adjacent to a vacation property owned by Glenn.
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Glenn Jackson is Serving His Sentence in a Kentucky Prison Today
In October 2020, Glenn Jackson’s bond was reduced to $150,000, and he was granted permission to remain under house arrest at his Westwood Drive property. The conditions of his confinement included wearing an ankle monitor, restricted visitation, no contact with his young son, and random drug screenings. The case experienced numerous delays over the following years, and in February 2026, Glenn entered an Alford plea to charges of manslaughter, abuse of a corpse, and tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, with credit for the time he had already served under house arrest. Glenn is currently being held at the Roederer Correctional Complex, a few miles south of LaGrange in Kentucky. He is expected to become eligible for parole in 2032, and his sentence is scheduled to expire in 2034.
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