Sequestered: A Juror’s Perspective on the Murder Trial of Jasmine Pace 

Episode 5: The Body Inside the Suitcase

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Before we get into this episode, I want to give you a heads up. It contains graphic descriptions of violence, including details from an autopsy. Out of respect for Jasmine and her family, we've chosen to hold back on some of the more graphic details, but what you will hear may still be unsettling, so please listen with care.

It's Thursday, January 16, 2025, day four of the trial. Before we even stepped into the jury room this morning, we could feel the weight of what was coming. I went to bed last night bracing myself for today, trying to prepare my mind and my heart for what we were about to see. But how do you prepare for something like this? As jurors, part of our job was to face the evidence—to see what no one should ever have to see.

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Today, we would see images of Jasmine Pace’s lifeless body, and with them the undeniable reality of what was done to her. We already knew the facts. She was stabbed 60 times, restrained, and stuffed into a suitcase. But knowing and seeing—those are two entirely different things. No one should ever have to witness another human being in that state, and yet, here we were.

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

 

I'm Sara, Juror Number 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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Episode Five: The Body in the Suitcase

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I learned this only after the fact, but while we were waiting in the jury room that morning, DA Coty Wamp noticed that Defense Attorney Weiss moved a trash can near Jason Chen at the defense table, along with a box of tissues.

 

Here’s a clip of how that scene played out in the courtroom just minutes before the jury came in:

DA Wamp: “They moved the trash can inside the defendant and they brought little napkins over here. If it applies to the gallery that there can be no outburst, Mr. Chen also needs to be under control during this testimony, or he can exit the court as well.”

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Defense Attorney Weiss: “Okay, well, the trash can moved closer to already indicated that he's feeling—he's feeling unwell.

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DA Wamp: "I'm just saying that's prejudicial as well, Judge.”

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Judge Patterson: “Everyone has to comport themselves within the maintain of the court or this particular proceeding, so that includes counsel and defendants. However, this is going to be very graphic and personal testimony. So everyone needs to maintain their composure.”

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Judge Patterson (to the gallery): “If there is anyone in the gallery who feels they cannot maintain their composure during this particular witness, it is best to leave right now. You know what’s happening is about to be displayed on the screen. So that admonition does extend to Mr. Chen.”

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As you can tell, DA Wamp raises her concerns to the judge about Jason Chen receiving preferential treatment. She points out that Weiss moved the trash can and tissues near their table, implying that the defendant may be trying to sway the court’s perception.

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Judge Patterson responds by emphasizing that everyone in the courtroom, including Chen, must maintain composure, especially given the graphic nature of the upcoming testimony. Judge Patterson also warns the gallery that anyone who is unable to remain composed should excuse themselves from the courtroom before this evidence is presented.

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At this time, Jasmine’s mother, Catrina Bean, and Jason Chen’s mother, Shu Fang Chen, both leave the courtroom. They already knew—some things, once seen, can never be unseen.

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This all happened before we even entered the courtroom. Pre-trial matters were a regular occurrence, so we never really knew what we’d be walking into each day. But something was noticeably different this morning as we took our seats.

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Despite the tension in the room, the proceedings were officially underway by 9:45. Hamilton County Medical Examiner and forensic pathologist Dr. Stephen Cogswell was sworn in as the state’s first expert witness.

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With nearly 40 years of experience and thousands of autopsies to his name, including over 100 cases involving fatal stab wounds, Dr. Stephen Cogswell’s expertise is undeniable. His presence alone commands respect as he takes the stand.

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Dr. Cogswell, a middle-aged man with a shaved head and a neatly trimmed beard peppered with gray, carries himself with quiet authority. He wears black glasses and is dressed sharply in a navy collared shirt, a blue-patterned tie, and a dark gray suit jacket—exuding professionalism and confidence.

General Moyle brings Dr. Cogswell to the scene of Suck Creek Road on the afternoon of December 1, 2022.

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General Moyle: “What did you see when you got there?”

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Dr. Cogswell: “Obviously, there were quite a few law enforcement vehicles, and off to the side of the road, adjacent to the river, was a hard-shell suitcase. Just off the shoulder of the road, near that area, were actually a couple of deer carcasses that had been tossed out there after butchering.

“But in particular, this suitcase was the type you would take on a relatively extended trip—a large suitcase on wheels, handle, etc. After all of the documentation, photographic, and location issues were resolved by the police department, so they could place it exactly, then the question came up: What is in the suitcase?

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“At that point, the cover of the suitcase, the lid, was opened. Inside was a black plastic trash bag. Using basically just my hands, I could feel along the contents of the bag and say, 'Yes, this is not an animal or something.' This is a human inside. At that point, the suitcase was closed back up. It was transported to the Medical Examiner’s Office, and at that point, further examine, not just the suitcase, but also the contents."

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Next, General Moyle asked Dr. Cogswell, "What did you do when you returned to your office?" Here's a clip of Dr. Cogswell’s response.

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Dr. Cogswell: “At that point, before we do anything else, we start taking photographs and X-rays. We document everything we do as we do it, in a stepwise fashion, because we don't want to lose evidence. So, in X-rays, we basically just lay the suitcase on top of the X-ray plates and X-ray through the suitcase.

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“Looking at those X-rays, it was evident that there was a deceased person inside, basically in a fetal position, with the knees drawn up and the arms crossed around the chest, fitted into the suitcase. Along with all of the hardware in the suitcase that shows up on X-ray, there was also a triangular metallic object that showed up in the area of the chest. It was something that obviously didn't belong to the suitcase because there’s a very regular arrangement of support bars, rivets, etc., that is fairly symmetrical.

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“After the X-raying was done, the body was lifted out of the suitcase, and the suitcase was laid off to the side. At that point, the suitcase was no longer of interest to the medical examiner; that became law enforcement’s concern. Then, I proceeded to cut each of the black plastic trash bags along one side and along the bottom, and remove each of them in turn. It turns out there were three bags. That happens to be fairly common, at least in the cases I've worked on where bodies have been disposed of in trash bags.

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“It seems like the interior bag is always pulled up from the feet toward the head, then another one down from the head toward the feet, and then a third one, again, from the feet toward the head. In this case, it turns out it was exactly the same way. I guess that's just how humans fit. Each of those bags was cut off, removed, and that revealed the body of a young woman who was in a fetal position, had no clothing on the upper body, and was shackled and handcuffed.”

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I think it's interesting that Dr. Cogswell mentioned the direction in which the bags were placed over Jasmine's body. He said the first bag was pulled up from her feet to her head, the second placed from her head down towards her feet, and the third, once again, from her feet over her head. Each bag was cinched closed and tied with a knot.

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At first, this might seem like a minor detail, but his point is chilling. Dr. Cogswell has clearly seen this pattern before, and it speaks to something deeper—something disturbingly consistent in human behavior when attempting to conceal a body.

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Dr. Cogswell then walked the jury through the painstaking process of documenting all 60 of the wounds on Jasmine's body. Each injury was photographed—first as it was found, then again after being cleaned.

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He explained the key difference between incised wounds and stab wounds. Incised wounds are more superficial and have directionality, appearing more as a slice, while stab wounds penetrate deeper, causing more severe damage.

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The jury also learned about three critical time frames forensic experts use to classify injuries:

• Antemortem: Inflicted before death.

• Perimortem: Inflicted around the time of death.

• Postmortem: Inflicted after death.

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It was a sobering moment as science stripped away the emotion and broke down the unimaginable into cold, clinical facts.

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Dr. Cogswell then shared a lesson he instills in his students when teaching about sharp force injuries: "Look for the blood until every drop is accounted for. Until you find this, you haven't found the crime scene."

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Dr. Cogswell: “Basically, all stab wounds, unless they actually hit your brain or central nervous system, are fatal because of blood loss. If you lose about 20 to 30% of your blood volume, that is sufficient to make you unconscious. Anything above 30% is sufficient to cause death.

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“A person the size of Jasmine Pace—just under 100 pounds—has a blood volume of approximately four liters, or about a gallon. When you lose four and a half quarts of blood, that's sufficient to cause death. There should still be some blood left inside the body, but it will be spread around in the body and capillaries. The blood that's in the big toe is going to remain in the big toe.

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“When I'm teaching classes on sharp force injuries, I always say: look for the blood. Because four and a half quarts of blood goes a long way. Using an analogy, everyone has painted a wall sometime in their life—that’s a gallon of blood. You can paint a room with a gallon of blood. So, if you see a spot of blood this big and someone is dead, there’s more blood somewhere else. Maybe it's inside the body, but maybe it's also at another scene. So that's why we say look for the blood, because until you've found all that blood, you don't really know where the bleeding occurred.”

Dr. Cogswell’s phrase, “You can paint a room with a gallon of blood,” stuck with me. The moment he said it, I instantly looked down at the carpet still laying out on the courtroom floor, stained with Jasmine's blood. It wasn't just evidence; it was a haunting reminder of where her life ended.

Out of respect for Jasmine's family, we’re choosing not to share every graphic detail about her wounds, but we do want to provide enough context to help you understand what happened.

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Dr. Cogswell began with X-ray images, providing an undeniable glimpse into how Jasmine’s body was positioned inside the suitcase: her head toward the handle and her feet toward the wheels. He then described the evidence of restraint:

• Jasmine’s right wrist was handcuffed to the inside of her left ankle.

• Her right ankle was shackled to her right elbow.

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It was a restrictive, contorted position that suggests deliberate immobilization. In an effort to understand how she was restrained, I actually laid on the floor of my living room and tried to get into this position myself. “Restrictive” and “contorted” are accurate descriptions of the position she was forced into.

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One critical detail stands out: the chain on the shackles was broken—a possible sign of a desperate struggle. Yet, Dr. Cogswell was quick to point out something unexpected. There were no ligature marks or abrasions on Jasmine’s ankles or wrists, raising more questions about how and when the restraints were applied. This is a detail the defense would be sure to bring up later.

Even more telling was the pattern of her injuries. The majority of Jasmine's 60 wounds were concentrated on her upper right side, reinforcing the theory that she was in the fetal position during the attack.

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In the position the suitcase is right now, her body is with the head upward facing toward the courtroom.

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Dr. Cogswell: “I’m now showing you two of three, two. She orients us to this board. This photo is moving over a little bit to... if I can point to the suitcase, to this area here that we're X-raying. And again, we see another one of these reinforcing ribs, a few more rivets, etc., a zipper of a hole on the inside. And here we have a knee. You can see the kneecap here, and the lower leg, the shin and the fibula that goes along with it. This is the thigh bone. Here you see a hand, or the bones of a hand. And you can see the top of the skull as well.

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“We're moving downward on the suitcase in basically counterclockwise fashion, to this area, down toward the wheel on the side closest to the courtroom. We see again those reinforcing ribs, zippers, rivets, etc. But we also see handcuffs and shackles, as well as another metallic device here, which is actually a bracelet. You can see on this one there is a chain that extends here, and there is no chain coming off of this particular one. And we're down here to feet. These are the foot bones, feet and ankle bones down here. So we have a forearm here, with the two forearm bones and arm and forearm bones here. And so we're down here. This is her buttocks.

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“We're moving over obviously to the last part, which is down here. And again, we have all the hardware of the suitcase. We see a bit of pelvis bone here, the lumbar spine here, again, one of those shackles that you saw in the previous X-ray. By going counterclockwise, we have a complete picture of a small individual—at this point, we didn't know if it was male or female—still inside the suitcase, still inside those black plastic bags.”

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Yeah, you heard that correctly. Handcuffs and shackles.

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For those of you who are curious about the difference between the two, handcuffs are designed to restrain a person's wrists together. Shackles, on the other hand, have a longer chain between the cuffs and are typically heavier metal restraints used to secure different parts of the body, usually the ankles. Think of prisoners being transferred.

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With Prosecutor Moyle's instructions, Dr. Cogswell puts on a pair of blue gloves and opens the evidence bag containing the handcuffs, showing them to the jury.

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Dr. Cogswell: "They were still wrapped in the surgical towel that came from the medical examiner's office. Again, these are not the typical law enforcement handcuffs. They're simply cheap steel crumbling."

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Moyle: "Thank you, and they're the same cuffs and shackles?"

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Dr. Cogswell: "Yes, correct."

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He goes through the same process with the shackles.

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Dr. Cogswell: "In the case of the shackles, it was not to the left arm, but to the right elbow or forearm, just below the elbow. So her left hand and arm were actually free. They were not bound."

"This is Jasmine Pace’s right elbow area. You can see this would be the tattoo on her shoulder. This is her actual elbow here. And you can see two lines of rust, basically, along with the pattern of that chain, again, with a rust pattern showing where the shackle was. And in fact, you can see, I think, where the double part of the shackle is, over here, right at the inside."

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Cogswell also pointed out rust stains on Jasmine's skin, evidence of where the shackles and chains pressed against her for an extended period. He then presented a photo of the left side of Jasmine's body, which was completely free of wounds. But when her body was rolled over, it became clear that every single injury was concentrated on her upper right side.

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This pattern, he explained, is consistent with someone being trapped in the fetal position, further reinforcing the prosecution's theory that Jasmine was confined and immobilized during the attack.

There was a moment during these photos when I found myself staring down at my blank notepad, my mind unable to process what I was seeing. Without thinking, I silently muttered to myself, "Oh, my God." The sheer number of her injuries was overwhelming—each one a brutal testament to what Jasmine endured. I just couldn't believe it.

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This entire time, Jason Chen's head was hanging down. At first, it seemed like he was avoiding the photos being shown on the courtroom screen. But by now, I had noticed a small monitor mounted under the glass top of the defense table directly in front of him. Later, I asked the bailiff about it, and he confirmed that every time something appeared on the large screen in the courtroom, the smaller screen in front of him turned on and displayed the same content.

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So while Jason appeared downcast, maybe even remorseful, the truth was he was seeing those images in even sharper detail than the rest of us.

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As images filled the screen, Dr. Cogswell walked us through key identifiers used during Jasmine's autopsy, markers that helped confirm her identity. Among those identifiers were her tattoos—permanent expressions of who she was, now preserved only in these photos and in the memories of those who loved her.

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You know, during sequestration, I had a lot of time to think, and honestly, I kept wishing I had a speaker so that I could just listen to a great book. That's why I love audiobooks. And whether I'm driving, walking the dogs, or traveling, I can just press play and get lost in an amazing story anytime and anywhere.

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One of my all-time favorites is New York by Edward Rutherfurd. This epic historical novel spans over 400 years, following generations of families through the city's most pivotal moments, from its Dutch settlement days all the way to 9/11. It was one of the first audiobooks I ever listened to. It felt like the narrator was reading the story just for me. I was completely hooked.

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Here's some good news. You can listen to New York or any other book for free. Audible is giving Sequestered listeners a free audiobook with a 30-day trial. Just go to audibletrial.com/sequestered. That's one free book, yours to keep forever. So find something you love and get listening. Go to audibletrial.com/sequestered.

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Dr. Cogswell's testimony didn't just outline the injuries; it painted a vivid picture of the violence Jasmine suffered. His detailed observations provided the jury with a clearer understanding of the circumstances surrounding her death, emphasizing the deliberate and confined nature of the attack.

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While discussing Jasmine being in the fetal position, Moyle returns to the large carpet sample on the floor of the courtroom and asks Dr. Cogswell if he sees any significance with the blood stain in regards to the size of Jasmine's body.

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Moyle: "Is there any medical significance to the stain that we see in item 127, to the physical evidence that we have as 158?"

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Dr. Cogswell: "When I first saw this photograph, it immediately struck me, and I think I actually blurted out, ‘That looks like the Shroud of Turin.’ And what I saw here was basically a recreation of the blood stain pattern, or a blood stain pattern that I would expect to see if someone is bleeding in that fetal position that we saw. Because we have the feet and legs down here, with the knees drawn up, arm down here, other arm here and here. Now, obviously, it's not exact, because it's being absorbed and spread a little bit, but the shape is very, very consistent with not only the positioning of Jasmine Pace’s body but also the size of her body."

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"Now, can I say that's absolute? No. I don't know what testing has been done to match that to her, although the stain is extremely consistent with her body as found."

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At this point, with Moyle’s direction, Dr. Cogswell methodically takes the jury through all 60 stab wounds one by one, using clinical, almost detached terminology like curvilinear and vertex. But behind those technical words was a reality that was impossible to detach from.

Out of respect for Jasmine and her family, we won't be sharing all of this audio.

 

However, here’s what you should know:

Jasmine was stabbed 60 times across her scalp, face, neck, upper back, chest, shoulder, arm, and torso. With the exception of her free left hand, every single wound was concentrated on the right side of her body.

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One of the most chilling details: the blade of the knife Jason Chen used snapped when it struck one of Jasmine’s ribs, breaking off inside her chest. Dr. Cogswell discovered it lodged between two ribs and penetrating deep inside her right lung.

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There was also evidence of blunt force impact to her chest, leaving a large contusion or bruise. Dr. Cogswell noted that this blow could have rendered Jasmine unconscious or semi-conscious, making it even harder for her to fight back.

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Occasionally, there were abrasions and bruising on the front of her neck, which, according to Cogswell, may indicate manual strangulation, though it was not officially documented in the autopsy report. This was not just an attack—it was a prolonged, deliberate, and brutal assault, reflecting a level of calculated malice that is both shocking and incomprehensible.

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By this point in the day, we had reached a lunch break. Can you imagine breaking for lunch after this? Sitting through the forensic breakdown of 60 stab wounds, a broken knife lodged in Jasmine's lung, and evidence of blunt force trauma, and then stepping outside to grab a sandwich. Somehow, we all managed.

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What was interesting to learn after the trial was that while court was adjourned during this particular afternoon, breaking news was already hitting the media. Here’s News Channel Nine’s Latricia Thomas sharing this development during the live stream as we broke for lunch.

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Latricia Thomas: "But actually, I do want to pause here and go away from our normal structure to talk about some breaking news that was just into our newsroom moments before we broke for lunch here, and that is a wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by Jasmine Pace’s family against Jason Chen and his parents."

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"Now, we have not heard them implicated by facing criminal charges in this case, but we now know that in November, attorney Ben McGowan, who is representing the Pace family, filed a wrongful death lawsuit. Some of the things that it claims here that there was criminal conspiracy between Jason Chen and his parents. They claim the family helped him to cover up the murder and then harbored him at their Nolensville, Tennessee home while police were looking to arrest him. This lawsuit is looking for $17 million. Our web team right now is working on getting that lawsuit and more details of it onto our website, NewsChannel9.com."

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The defense began their cross-examination, pressing Dr. Cogswell on a critical question: could the autopsy determine whether Jasmine was unconscious during the attack? Dr. Cogswell remained firm. While his findings were extensive and detailed, he explained that an autopsy can't answer every question about Jasmine’s state in that moment. Whether she was fully conscious, semi-conscious, or unconscious at the time of the stabbing remains unknown.

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Moyle: "At the end of your testimony, you talk about how long Jasmine Pace might have been alive. Well, it's kind of like more than three seconds, but..."

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Dr. Cogswell: "That's the kind of death where the level of consciousness could be different. Well, in fact, she may have been unconscious before she was stabbed. There's no way to tell that from an autopsy, but if we're talking about just bleeding, roughly half of that time period, she would be potentially conscious."

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When proceedings resumed, Dr. Cogswell returned to discuss the toxicology report. He explained that Jasmine's heart and major blood vessels were nearly empty of blood. Notably, no alcohol was detected, despite claims that wine had been consumed on the night of her murder.

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Here’s Latricia Thomas of News Channel Nine again:

Latricia Thomas: "Let’s take a look quickly at one thing that has kind of become center stage here, and that is the toxicology report from Jasmine Pace’s autopsy. Dr. Cogswell, the one doing the autopsy on Jasmine’s body after she was found in that suitcase on the side of Suck Creek Road."

"Now, why is that important? Well, today it becomes important that narrative that the Defense says that they will try to prove when it’s their turn, because now we see the blood tests of Jasmine Pace that have been introduced by her autopsy report that she, in fact, did not have alcohol in her system."

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As Dr. Cogswell continues his testimony, Moyo guides him through the details of Jasmine's injuries. Dr. Cogswell reiterates that her injuries are consistent with being in the fetal position—a posture that made it easier for her body to be forced into a confined space during the attack.

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I want to pause here and share something from my perspective as a juror. One wound that stood out to me was a deep gash on Jasmine's left forearm. Remember, this was her free arm. I couldn't tell if it came from a single strike or if the knife had hit the same spot over and over, but it was clear to me that this was a defensive wound. It looked as if Jasmine had instinctively raised her arm to shield her face and head from the repeated blows of the knife.

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My producer and I have spent a lot of time piecing together what we know about this attack, trying to understand how Jasmine was restrained and what happened inside that apartment. What stands out to me is the haphazard way she was cuffed. It was a tangled, almost desperate arrangement, like they were put on in the middle of a fight. In my opinion, Jason Chen wasn't methodically restraining Jasmine. He was trying to gain control of her, trying to keep her from kicking, fighting, and ultimately getting away.

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The autopsy photos confirmed it: Jasmine was in the fetal position during the attack. I'm bringing it up again because it's crucial to understanding the wounds themselves. If she had been in any other position, the injuries would have been scattered across her body. Instead, every single stab wound was concentrated in one small area—her upper right side. That kind of concentrated violence says something. It tells us this wasn't random, it wasn't chaotic—it was intentional.

When I close my eyes at night, I can't help but visualize how this happened, trying to piece together the moments leading up to Jasmine's death. I'm certain I'm not alone in this. Anyone who's seen these photos—the investigators, attorneys, Judge Patterson, Dr. Cogswell, my fellow jurors, and especially Jasmine's family—likely confronts similar visions. Yet, the only person who truly knows what happened is Jason Chen.

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Here's what we've put together based on the evidence presented thus far. Though I want to be clear that these are my own theories, not necessarily facts. We know that Jasmine went to Jason's apartment by choice on November 22, arriving at 11:42 PM. She was there for over two hours before things went terribly wrong.

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On day six of the trial, Jason's downstairs neighbor will testify that she heard a woman scream coming from his apartment at 2:11 AM on the early hours of November 23, followed by the sound of chasing movement from the back bedroom toward the front door. Then she heard the front door slam. Seven minutes after that scream, at 2:18 AM, Jasmine sent a pin drop location to her mother, Catrina Bean. Not a text, not a call—a location pin.

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That detail haunts me. I've thought about how sending a location pin works. It's not the most instinctive thing to do under stress, but it's gotten easier to do in the last couple of years on an iPhone, which Jasmine had at the time. It used to require users to open Apple Maps, search the location, and then drop a pin manually. But now all you have to do is open your text message app, click the plus sign next to the text field, scroll down to location, and hit send. Still, why a location pin? To me, it feels like she didn't have time to type a message, as if this was all she could do. Her way of saying, "Mom, this is where I am."

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I've come to realize that when people lie, they often weave in parts of the truth. It's like they can't help but sprinkle in bits of reality, and they'll almost always cast themselves as the victim, not the one responsible for the harm done. That's why the defense's story during their opening statement stuck with me. According to them, Jasmine was the aggressor, chasing Jason, and Jason was the one running from her. They painted this almost comical scene of Jason trying to slam the bathroom door shut, only to be foiled by the bath mat. Then came the so-called impossible pocket door to the bedroom, as if this whole thing was some sitcom misunderstanding.

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But what if that story held a kernel of truth, just with the roles reversed? What if Jason was the one chasing Jasmine through his apartment?

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I mentioned the defense's first witness. She was the neighbor living in apartment 110, directly below Jason's unit. Although her testimony aimed to support the defense, she inadvertently helped clarify the time of the attack. Remember, at 2:11 AM, she was jolted awake by a woman's scream from the apartment above. Following this, she described hearing sounds of someone being chased from the bedroom to the front door, culminating in the sharp slam of the door itself.

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Something provoked Jasmine's fear. Something made her scream. Maybe she was trying to get out of there. Maybe Jason was behind her, and before she could make it out the front door, he slammed it shut. Did she turn back toward the bedroom in a panic? Did she try to barricade herself in the bathroom, only to be tripped up by the bath mat? And was it Jasmine, not Jason, desperately trying to pull that pocket door closed between the bathroom and the bedroom?

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Remember, at 2:18 AM—just seven minutes after that scream—Jasmine sent her mom the location pin. That tiny act says so much. Things were bad. She knew she needed help. And I can't stop wondering, when in those terrifying moments did Jason retrieve the handcuffs and shackles? Was it before or after that text was sent? Could Jasmine have made it back to the bathroom, just barely closing the door, buying herself a few precious seconds to send her location?

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I keep picturing her leaning against that wall, maybe sitting on the floor, bracing for whatever came next. Given the layout of the bathroom, it could make sense that her left side was against the wall with Jason towering above her, especially when you consider the pattern of stab wounds to her scalp, face, shoulders, and her free hand.

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We know there was a pool of blood in the bathroom, some of it crossing the threshold into the bedroom. There was blood spatter on the walls, smears on the door frames—all of it painting a chilling picture of violence in a confined space.

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And that leads us to one of the biggest questions raised in the courtroom: Was Jasmine already cuffed when she was being stabbed, or as the defense claimed, were the restraints only used after her death to make her body fit into the trash bags?

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We know her right wrist was handcuffed to the inside of her left ankle, and her right elbow was shackled to her right ankle, leaving her left arm completely free. Now try to picture her left side pressed against the bathroom floor, her right arm threaded between her legs and bound to her ankles—some kind of cruel game of Twister. It's almost impossible to imagine, let alone endure.

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Then there's the blood evidence found in Jason's bedroom. Remember the massive, five-foot stain on the carpet? That stain tells us her body was likely moved after the attack, or at the very least, the violence ended there before she was put inside the trash bags and eventually into the suitcase. This is the picture we're left with, pieced together from evidence, testimony, and what we can only imagine Jasmine endured that night.

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We'd love to hear your thoughts on this. If you've been following the case or have your own theories, send us an email at sequesteredpod@mail.com.

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Before the medical examiner stepped down from the stand, the jurors had a chance to ask their own questions. It's something we've mentioned before, but it's worth repeating because it's pretty rare. Not every judge allows this, but Judge Patterson does, and it gave us the opportunity to clarify facts directly from the witnesses in real-time, rather than saving them for the deliberation phase.

I also think it gave the courtroom—more specifically the attorneys—a unique window into what the jury was really curious about throughout the trial. On this particular day, our questions covered everything from whether cleaning agents could have altered the appearance of Jasmine's wounds to whether any fibers or fingerprints were recovered from the scene. Dr. Cogswell responded to each one, even opening the door to the possibility that a second knife could have been used, though he stopped short of any firm conclusions.

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We thought it might be interesting to share a couple of the jury's actual questions with you, so that you can get a sense of what was on our minds as we worked to piece everything together.

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Jury Question:

“Did CSU use BlueStar Agent that revealed blood in other locations of the apartment? Based on your autopsy, can you say that the victim's injuries may have occurred in more than just a single bed?”

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Dr. Cogswell:
“Yes, they could have. If you actually think, the most likely is that the injuries were inflicted in the position in which she was found. That does not preclude some of those injuries being inflicted elsewhere in the apartment, or that when the body was being moved, some blood leaked out and was found elsewhere in the apartment.”

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Jury Question:

“Are you able to identify if any of the wounds were cleaned with peroxide or alcohol?”

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Dr. Cogswell:
“No, I'm not.”

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Jury Question:

“Would you be able to identify if carpet fibers were found in any of the wounds inflicted on the body or anywhere else?”

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Dr. Cogswell:
“I found no carpet fibers in the wounds themselves. Some hairs were recovered off of her clothing and her body. Those were all submitted to the Knoxville Police Department. As to what the test results showed, I don't know.”

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Jury Question:

“Does it appear that all of them were inflicted by the same knife?”

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Dr. Cogswell:
“It is certainly likely, but it is not impossible that a second knife was used. However, the dimensions of the wounds don't say categorically that this was two knives, so there's going to have to be some overlap. For example, a significantly smaller knife or a pocket knife would not be involved in this.”

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Jury Question:

“Does the amount of blood collected impact percentages as a result of testing? For example, would a very small amount collected affect accuracy?”

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Dr. Cogswell:
“No, the amount of blood collected is sufficient to run the test. If it's an insufficient quantity, then the toxicology lab will tell us 'not sufficient to run the test.' We suggest doing targeted testing. For this, they actually don't need anywhere near the amount of blood we give them. They can actually make do with two milliliters of blood. Typically, we set a target of 10 milliliters, but as you saw in this particular case, it was just under six milliliters. So there was plenty of blood; more blood would not actually change the results.”

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The prosecution briefly recalls crime scene investigator Kristen Shubert to the stand. Shubert is asked about the two sanitary pads collected as evidence—one recovered from Jasmine's body, and the other found outside the dumpster at Jason Chen's apartment complex. Since neither pad was tested, we can't say with certainty that they're a match, but Shubert describes the similarity between them as striking.

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Next, the jury hears from a special agent and forensic scientist with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), with over 20 years of experience. Agent Lowe is straightforward about the limitations her lab faces, including a six-month backlog and a policy that restricts testing to just 10 items per homicide case.

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She then walks the jury through what was tested: swabs from Jason Chen and Jasmine's parents, Jasmine's toothbrush, and carpet from Jason Chen's apartment.
 

Her testimony confirms several key points:

• The blood found in Jason Chen's apartment matches Jasmine's DNA.

• Swabs from the shackles, handcuffs, and even the garbage bags link back to Jason.

• Some evidence, like a swab from the suitcase handle, came back inconclusive.
   

Under cross-examination, Agent Lau explains that not every piece of evidence could be tested due to limited resources. When jurors ask who decides which 10 items actually get tested, she's clear: the decision is hers, based on proximity to the crime and the likelihood of finding DNA evidence.

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By the time court adjourns for the day, it's almost 7 PM. Judge Patterson reminds the jurors of their obligation not to be exposed to the media or to speak to each other about the trial. Then he instructs us to return at 10 AM the next morning, giving everyone a chance to catch their breath after a long, heavy day.

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The evidence, expert testimonies, and even the jurors’ specific questions have left us all with as many uncertainties as clarifications, which feels like a perfect reflection of the case itself. Nothing is simple, nothing is clear-cut, and with every new detail, the truth feels both closer and further away.

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As we conclude Day Four of this trial for Jasmine Pace, the profound weight of today's revelations lingers heavily. The meticulous forensic analysis presented by the state's expert witness, Dr. Steven Cogswell, not only detailed the horrifying injuries Jasmine endured but also illuminated the calculated nature of the violence she faced.

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Each piece of evidence and every expert insight adds layers to a narrative that is anything but straightforward. As jurors, we are tasked with navigating this intricate web, seeking clarity amidst the ambiguity. Yet, with every detail unveiled, the elusive nature of truth becomes even more apparent, reminding us of the profound responsibility we bear in our pursuit of justice.

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Next Week on Sequestered

“And the two prints of quality to examine from that garbage bag around the body of Jasmine Pace were made by who?”

“Made by Jason Chen.”

“The prints of value…”

“The prints that were not of value that you received or that you were able to extract from the other bags, they were…”

Fingerprints, phone records, and surveillance footage weave together a chilling timeline—one that may seal Jason Chen's fate.

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Thanks for sticking with us. If today’s episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with friends. We’ll see you next week.

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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 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

• The Law & 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.

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Thank you for listening. Until next time, stay curious and stay safe.