​Before we begin, please be advised that this episode contains graphic descriptions of violence as presented during the trial. Please take care while listening.

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It's Tuesday morning, January 14, 2025—Day Two of the trial. The morning unfolds just as it did yesterday. In fact, the daily structure is quickly settling into a predictable rhythm: early mornings, strict schedules, and constant supervision. For all of us, the predictability of the process was both grounding and at times, a little suffocating.

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I had a chance to catch up with a couple of the jurors after the trial, and I'm eager to share some of their thoughts with you throughout the podcast. Here's Juror Number One sharing his breakdown of our morning routine.

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"Every day, we would wake up at around 6 a.m. The sheriffs would come knock on our door because they had to take the alarm clocks out of our rooms, since they have radios, which could have exposed us to details of the case. We'd have 30 minutes before we went down to the hotel lobby to have breakfast. All the TVs in the lobby had to be turned to the Weather Channel so that we wouldn’t see any news coverage of the case. I’d never really eat much, but I enjoyed having coffee with everybody in the morning. After breakfast, they would give us an hour of time to get ready for the day, and then we’d be shuttled to the courthouse. When we got to the courthouse, we would go to our place that was basically home base—was a conference room where deliberation happened. We would chill out there for like 30 minutes. Sometimes, I think one day it was actually like almost three hours before they brought us into the courtroom."

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As Juror Number One explains, once we're at the courthouse, we settle into our jury room, where we spend time getting to know each other. Remember, we're not allowed to discuss the case until deliberations, which honestly is harder than it sounds. And with no cell phones or laptops to retreat into, we have nothing to do but talk. So what do a group of random strangers tasked with deciding a man's fate, but unable to talk about it, actually talk about?

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We get to know each other the old-fashioned way. We share about our jobs, families, where we grew up, and swap favorite restaurant names. Among us were people with professions like doctor and social worker, clinician and accountant, engineer and architect, homemaker and tour manager. We all came from different backgrounds—worlds that probably would never intersect in our daily lives. I've said this before, but it felt like an unexpected social experiment.

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The bailiff and officers joked with us back in Nashville, saying that we'd be bonded by the end of this—and they weren't wrong. What the 16 of us experienced over these 10 days created a connection that will stay with us forever. It’s not unlike how investigators had to piece together all the fragments of evidence, each piece, seemingly unrelated at first, but forming a complete picture over time.

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Just as we were strangers brought together by circumstance, so were the detectives, attorneys, and even Jasmine's family—all linked by the pursuit of justice. Unlike us, though, they didn't have the option to walk away when the trial was over. Their bond, forged through grief and relentless determination, will last far beyond the verdict and sentencing.

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Sequestration wasn’t just about being physically removed from the outside world. It carried an emotional and mental weight that we all had to process in our own way. Juror Number Five kept a journal throughout the trial, documenting her thoughts and experiences in real time. Here’s a passage she wrote about the weight of sequestration.

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"Maybe it's important to be confined without the people you love, the things that make you comfortable, the regular distractions before sentencing a person to life in prison. Of course, a stay in a hotel with supervised dining and outings to landmarks is different. It's different than the cold hostility of a maximum-security prison, privately run with shareholders' best interests in mind. But still, the taste of sequestration gives insight to the gravity of it all."

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This is Sequestered: A Juror's Perspective on the Murder Trial for Jasmine Pace.

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I'm Sara, Juror #11. Each episode, I'll take you inside the courtroom, behind the scenes, and into the weighty moments of this trial as we honor Jasmine's life and navigate the complexities of seeking justice. Let's begin.

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Okay, here's what we know so far. Jasmine Pace was last seen alive on November 22, 2022, when she arrived at Jason Chen's apartment at 110 Tremont Street in Chattanooga. At 2:18 a.m. on November 23, Jasmine sent her mother, Catrina Bean, a location pin for the same address—a message that would go unseen for three days.

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By November 26, after days of silence, Catrina took action at a Verizon store. She accessed Jasmine's MyChevy app, tracking her car to 900 Mountain Creek Road. Jasmine’s father and sister met her there, but Jasmine was nowhere to be found. The family knocked on doors, questioned residents, and called the police. With an officer present, Catrina dialed one of the last numbers on Jasmine’s call log: Jason Chen.

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Jason claimed he hadn’t seen Jasmine in a while and gave Catrina a fake address—500 Tremont Street, an abandoned house. Suspicious, the family followed Jasmine’s location pin to 110 Tremont Street, her last known location. A neighbor confirmed hearing a woman scream from apartment 210 on November 22.

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Breaking into the unit, the family found Jasmine’s driver’s license, credit cards, and travel bag, and immediately called 911. Police arrived, briefly looked around, and left, finding nothing suspicious. But Catrina wasn't done. She returned to apartment 210, collecting Jasmine’s belongings and a box of items she believed could be crucial.

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The next day, on November 27, Investigator Zack Crawford took over the case. His work would soon connect the evidence that led to Jason Chen’s arrest. Fast forward to January 14, 2025—Day Two of the trial. A day that reveals the full story of Jasmine Pace’s murder and the prosecution’s case against Jason Chen.

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Soon, every piece of evidence, every testimony, and every detail will come together, exposing the truth in a way that can no longer be ignored. Get ready.

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The 16 of us file into the courtroom, just as we did the day before. The routine was already settling in: the knock at the door, line up, be counted, walk across the hall, enter the courtroom, and silently file into the jury box. I adjusted my squeaky blue chair, flipped my notebook to a fresh page, and glanced toward the bench where Judge Patterson remained standing. He invited the room to be seated, and with everyone in place, he adjusted his glasses, looked toward the attorneys, and signaled for General Wamp to take the floor.

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Lead Investigator Zack Crawford was already sitting in the witness stand. Crawford carried a composed and methodical presence in the courtroom. His dark, short hair was neatly styled, and a mustache and beard framed his face, adding to his serious, no-nonsense demeanor. Deep lines etched across his forehead hinted at the weight of his profession—years spent analyzing crime scenes, piecing together the truth, and delivering facts with precision. When responding to questions, he spoke with measured confidence, his steady voice reinforcing the gravity of the evidence he had meticulously gathered.

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Investigator Crawford explained the use of Bluestar—a forensic agent used to detect blood that has been cleaned or concealed. Crawford noted that, in his experience, the sheer amount of blood illuminated by Bluestar was unlike anything he had seen before in his career.

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The crime scene unit's walk-through of Jason Chen’s apartment had revealed extensive blood evidence:

• Blood smeared in the living room

• Blood splattered and pooled in the bathroom

• Blood soaked deep into the bedroom carpet

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There was, as DA Coty Wamp had stated in her opening argument, blood all over the apartment. What had first appeared to be a clean apartment was now telling a much darker story. Crime scene investigators photographed every stain, swabbed surfaces, and meticulously collected evidence—each piece bringing them closer to uncovering what had truly happened inside apartment 210.

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The search expanded beyond Jason Chen’s apartment, canvassing neighbors and scouring the area for overlooked evidence. One conversation led Investigator Crawford to a manhole cover in the back parking lot. Determined to leave no stone unturned, he crawled 70 feet underground in search of clues. Nothing was discovered, but the manhole cover sat near a dumpster outside Jason Chen’s apartment, where a crucial discovery did await.

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Inside the wooden fencing and on the ground just in front of two blue dumpsters, investigators found:

• A pair of blue jeans with discoloration resembling blood

• A pair of white low-top Vans shoes, size 11

• A blood-soaked sanitary pad lying next to a pair of women's underwear

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These items were photographed and collected as evidence. DA Coty Wamp then highlighted a significant detail: Jasmine Pace was on her menstrual cycle at the time of her disappearance, and the pad found near the dumpster matched the one she was wearing when her body was recovered.

The forensic process was extensive. Law enforcement can submit only 10 pieces of evidence at a time for forensic testing, often resulting in months-long backlogs. Given the urgency, Crawford prioritized the most critical evidence items. Despite this limitation, forensic testing yielded a critical breakthrough: the blood found inside Jason Chen’s apartment was a DNA match to Jasmine Pace.

What began as a missing person case had now shifted dramatically, and Jason Chen was the main suspect.

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By this point in the case, Jason Chen had been officially identified as a suspect. Despite multiple attempts to contact him, Jason remained elusive. Investigators gathered information about his family, personal life, and his movements. They confirmed Chen’s identity not only from his residence at 110 Tremont Street but also by his cell phone number, his enrollment at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and by learning that he drove a 2018 gray Toyota Camry.

Next, Crawford obtained a search warrant for Chen’s cell phone data, revealing ping locations with coordinates that led to 1943 Ashburn Court in Nolensville, Tennessee. I need to pause here, because—hold on—did they just say Nolensville? I live about four miles from Nolensville, Tennessee. This case just got a whole lot closer to home, literally.

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In the early hours of November 29, at 2 a.m., a search warrant was executed at Chen’s parents’ house in Nolensville, Tennessee. Four homicide detectives and crime scene investigators from the Chattanooga Police Department responded, along with officers from the Nolensville Police Department. Upon arrival, the first contact made was with Jason’s parents. Investigator Crawford informed them of the search warrant and asked if Jason Chen was inside.

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Jason’s father called for him, and moments later, Jason appeared from a room on the second floor. Crawford testified that when Jason came to the door, his demeanor was defensive yet calm. Crawford informed Jason that law enforcement had a search warrant for his parents’ residence and that he would be detained at the Nolensville Police Department, where a separate search warrant had been issued for his person, more specifically for his DNA.

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Upon hearing this, Jason’s first response was to ask if they had spoken with his lawyer. Crawford told him no. Jason didn’t argue or resist. Instead, he complied with the officers, allowing them to escort him to the patrol car waiting outside.

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During the search of Chen’s parents' house, investigators made a curious discovery in the room where Jason had been staying. His iPhone was found inside a red jewelry box, turned around and obscurely placed on the top shelf of a cabinet. His phone would become a gold mine of information for investigators.

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On the desk in the same room, Jason’s wallet was located with his ID and credit cards inside. One of the cards would later be linked to receipts from Walgreens and Walmart, where Chen was seen on security footage just days before, purchasing Band-Aids and cleaning supplies.

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Investigators also found a laptop and multiple handwritten notes on the desk.

 

These notes provided an interesting read:

• One bright yellow Post-it note said, "Approach them. I."

• Another had the name "Crawford" written on it, along with Investigator Crawford’s cell phone number.

• Other names like "Brooke" and "Cheyenne" were written alongside doodles.

• Another fluorescent Post-it note had two sets of 11-digit numbers written on it.

• A white note card with a thin black border listed finger sizes for rings.

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Additionally, a dark purple Post-it note read: "If law enforcement contacts other family members, what do they do?"

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Another note read:

• "Saturday, November 19. Last time I saw her. She would call me once a day. Scratch that—she would call me every day. Last time was on November 22 on the phone."

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Lastly, investigators found a notebook containing organized notes about Jasmine.

 

It read:

"Friday, November 18. Last time I saw her. Tuesday, November 22. Last time we talked. She has a huge history of running away from home in her teenage years. Mom was an alcoholic. Ran away to Canada for several years and was homeless. Has restraining order against ex. Scratch that out. Her dad left when she was a kid. Has restraining order against ex. Says she was recently online on Facebook."

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You can see all of these notes on our website, sequesteredpod.com. The notes weren’t heavily addressed during the trial, but I can see why the prosecution wanted them included. They paint a picture of Jason Chen attempting to piece together a narrative before contacting law enforcement.

In another room of the parents’ house, investigators located Jason Chen’s backpack. Inside, they found an eyeglasses case containing Jasmine Pace’s SIM card. This discovery would become a critical piece of the investigation, suggesting a deliberate effort to conceal evidence.

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Finally, investigator Crawford revealed that Jason’s car was found parked inside his parents’ garage, while both of his parents’ vehicles sat outside in the driveway. In photos shown during the trial, the two-car garage appeared to serve as a storage space for the family. The side closest to the house was packed with items, leaving no clear pathway. On the other side, a gray Toyota Camry was wedged tightly among the stored items, as if space had been cleared just enough to fit the vehicle. The placement of Chen’s car, tucked away while the family’s vehicles remained outside, raised an unsettling question: Had he been deliberately hiding his car from view?

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Jason was placed under an investigative hold at Nolensville PD while investigators searched his parents’ home. Once the search concluded, he was formally arrested for criminal homicide and transported back to Chattanooga, where he was booked and fingerprinted. His Toyota Camry was transported shortly afterward.

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The very next day, on December 1, 2022, investigators made a grim discovery. A suitcase was found wedged into the brush off Suck Creek Road. Inside was the body of Jasmine Pace.

DA Wamp then asked Investigator Crawford to connect the dots between Chen’s arrest and the chilling discovery that followed just 24 hours later.

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Investigator Crawford explained how the arrest warrant for Jason Chen was officially issued on November 30. Jasmine’s body was found the very next day, on December 1, along Suck Creek Road—just yards from the Tennessee River. The suitcase containing her remains had been placed in a brushy area above the waterline, concealed only by the tangled remnants of kudzu.

The scene was bleak. The suitcase was zipped shut, but the damage inflicted upon Jasmine was undeniable. Investigator Crawford described how the crime scene unit approached the suitcase with deliberate caution, documenting the discovery with photographs and collecting every piece of evidence for later analysis.

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By the time Jasmine’s body was found, the case had escalated beyond any hope of a lesser charge for Jason Chen. The evidence gathered had painted a gruesome and undeniable picture. Blood was found throughout his apartment, Jasmine’s SIM card was located in his possession, and surveillance footage showed Chen disposing of a suitcase on the night of Jasmine’s disappearance.

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Adding to the horror, Crawford confirmed that forensic analysis identified Jasmine’s DNA within the blood samples taken from Chen’s apartment. The blood stains were not superficial; they had soaked into carpets, walls, and even beneath floorboards. The evidence was clear and overwhelming.

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During the testimony, DA Wamp shifted the focus to Chen’s digital activity. Using phone records, text messages, and surveillance footage, the prosecution established a timeline of Chen’s movements and actions before and after Jasmine’s death. Messages from Chen to Jasmine’s phone after her disappearance were part of an attempt to create a false narrative.

Additionally, investigators examined Chen’s attempts to clean the apartment, including the purchase of cleaning supplies and Band-Aids. Surveillance footage from Walmart and Walgreens on November 23 showed Chen purchasing these items.

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The prosecution’s case was building quickly and powerfully. Each new piece of evidence was more damning than the last. As the day drew to a close, the weight of what we were learning hung heavy in the air. It was clear this trial would be about far more than just proving Jason Chen’s guilt; it would be about understanding the depths of his actions and the true cost of what he had taken away.

The prosecution continued presenting evidence, this time turning to Jason Chen’s digital activity and communication in the days leading up to and following Jasmine’s disappearance.

DA Wamp introduced a series of text messages Chen sent to Jasmine after she was already missing. These texts were meant to create the illusion that Jasmine was alive and well, even though her body had already been discarded.

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Investigators uncovered text messages that Jason Chen had deleted from his phone, but which were recovered through digital forensics. These messages attempted to create a misleading narrative about Jasmine’s whereabouts.

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A particularly disturbing message sent from Jason’s phone to Jasmine’s phone at 7:53 p.m. on November 28 read:

"Good morning. Slept like a baby. I made myself a matcha."

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Attached to the text was a photo of Jason holding a Starbucks matcha drink. However, metadata analysis revealed that the photo was actually taken on July 23, 2021, and altered on November 23, 2022, before it was sent to Jasmine’s phone. Jason had manipulated the timestamp to make it appear as if Jasmine was alive and responding to his messages.

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Later that same day, he sent another text to her phone:

"Hey, are we still good for dinner tonight?"

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The intent was clear—Jason was trying to establish a false narrative, one that would suggest Jasmine had willingly left and was still alive. But the digital evidence was proving otherwise.

During the investigation, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) conducted forensic analysis on various items collected from Jason Chen’s apartment. Blood samples collected from multiple areas within the apartment all tested positive for Jasmine’s DNA.

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Additionally, surveillance footage from Chen’s apartment complex captured him exiting the building with a suitcase on the evening of November 23. He was seen dragging the suitcase down the sidewalk and loading it into his vehicle.

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Further evidence presented in court included security footage showing Chen purchasing Band-Aids, isopropyl alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide from a local Walgreens and Walmart. These items, investigators suggested, were part of his attempt to clean up the crime scene.

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As the second day of the trial came to an end, the gravity of the evidence was undeniable. It painted a clear and devastating picture of what had happened to Jasmine Pace.

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But this was only the beginning. With each passing day, the prosecution would reveal more details—some so shocking and heartbreaking that it became difficult to remain composed.

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Day two of the trial concluded with a heavy atmosphere in the courtroom. The evidence was mounting, and Jason Chen’s actions were being laid bare before us. The prosecution’s case was meticulously structured, with each piece of evidence building upon the last.

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General Wamp continued to weave together the various strands of evidence, demonstrating how Jason Chen’s attempts to mislead investigators were not only deliberate but also desperate. The false texts, the staged photographs, the effort to clean his apartment—every step Jason took only solidified the prosecution’s argument that this was not an act of passion or self-defense, but a calculated and premeditated crime.

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As we were escorted from the courtroom and back to our hotel for the evening, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of everything we had heard. The gruesome details, the forensic evidence, the attempts at deception—it all seemed overwhelming.

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My fellow jurors and I shared quiet looks of concern as we boarded the vans. We couldn’t talk about the case, but our shared experience was evident in our expressions. We were all processing what we had witnessed that day.

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The night passed fitfully. My thoughts kept returning to the images, the testimonies, and the knowledge that we were only just beginning to unravel the truth.

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Tomorrow, we would return to the courtroom and continue piecing together the horrific story of what happened to Jasmine Pace.

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Next week on Sequestered:

"These victims' remains... Is there a difference between the handcuffs and the shackles?"

"Well, the handcuff had two locations—one to attach to her hand and one to her ankle. The shackle only had one cinch and then a chain."

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Crime scene investigators uncover critical evidence, including trash bags, shackles, and a chilling truth that tightens the case against Jason Chen. The prosecution continues to build their case, methodically piecing together the evidence of Jasmine Pace's murder.

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Stay with us. Episode Four dives into the most damning details yet.

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Thank you for listening to Sequestered: A Juror's Perspective on the Murder Trial for Jasmine Pace. Each episode brings us closer to understanding the trial, the people involved, and the weight of seeking justice. If this story speaks to you, please follow, share, and continue the conversation with us. Jasmine’s story deserves to be remembered.

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This is a BP production. The show is written, edited, and produced by me, Sara Reid, with co-production by Andrea Kleid. News clips featured in this episode were sourced from WTVC News Channel 9, Local 3 News Chattanooga, and the Law and Crime Network. Music and sound design are curated to reflect the gravity and sensitivity of this story, with the intent to honor Jasmine, her family, and the community affected by her death.

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For more information or to connect with us, visit sequesteredpod.com or follow us on Instagram at @sequesteredpod. Thank you for listening. Until next time, stay curious and stay safe.

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