Richy Maria Jacob
‘Dateline’ brings into focus another crime that has left the general public and authorities baffled. While there are often two sides to every story, justice for the victims can’t afford that obscurity, and this is where murders that have not found due closure come across as a problem.
This is the case with Ciara Ingram, who was found dead in her apartment in 2012. The 28-year mother of two was stabbed to death. She was found by the maintenance worker almost a week later. Her children were, however, in the safe custody of her ex-husband, Jarod Ingram, who ultimately became the lead suspect of the case.
The two had met in the Army. Even before they could enter a proper relationship, Ciara got pregnant. Forced with the option of either marrying Jarod or being assigned to different stations, the couple chose the first option. Their relationship as Jarod, their friends and family put it, was not a smooth one and ended in a divorce. They shared custody of their children. In 2012, Ciara had just shifted to Indiana and even began dating someone named Ryan Morgan. It was around this time that tragedy struck.
An initial investigation soon led to Jarod’s arrest. While Jarod maintained that he hadn’t seen his wife for around a week, the detectives stuck to the fact he was the last one who had seen her alive. Her boyfriend at the time had cancelled his ticket and stayed back only to learn this news. Things got more unfavorable for Jarod as Ciara’s close friends revealed his temper issues that often resulted in throwing objects around. Though Jarod admitted to all that, he maintained his innocence.
The controversial part of the case was the police interrogating their children, who pointed out some peculiar details. The kids were presumably in the car when Jarod had allegedly gone inside to collect some things. Their daughter claimed that she saw him simply standing inside when she peered through the mail slot. Both the kids admitted to hearing something akin to laughter or cry. This interrogation was criticized as children are quite impressionable and could have easily been coerced into giving these statements.
The information was, however, deemed to be enough for the police to arrest Jarod and put him in jail. During the trial, the prosecution consecutively maintained that it could not have been anyone apart from him based on the timeline they put together. His defense attorney combated back with the lack of credible evidence that suggested his guilt. Eventually, he was not found guilty.
Where is Jarod Ingram Now?
The trial lasted more than a month, and the case took six years from when the crime took place to be laid to rest. Though he was found not guilty, not everyone was happy about this verdict, especially Ciara’s family. In an interview post his verdict, Ingram mentioned that he tried to reach out to his children but couldn’t. “I tried to call and reach them today, and the family wouldn’t let me talk to them.”
Ingram faced many difficulties finding a job after his release and eventually began working in retail, in a hardware store. During the period between his former wife’s death and the case’s verdict, he married Katie in 2016. They two studied in the same school. One thing he has been thankful for is his wife and the support he received from his church. In his subsequent interviews, he expressed his desire to gain custody of his children and re-build his relationship with them. In his Facebook Page, he supported a Go Fund Me page that asked for donations for a mom with cancer.
Ingram, at present, seems to be happily married to his wife Katie, based on what we can see on his social media. He is also thankful for his family and friends.
The two also have three dogs. In any case, Ingram seems to be faring well post everything he has been through.
Read More: Where is Ciara Ingram’s Children Now?
