Deborah Ann Jessie, 23: Woman Missing, Friend Was Murdered
*This article was updated in November 2023*
By 2013, Deborah Ann Jessie thought her relationship with Jammy Washington was over. She had endured domestic violence at the hands of her boyfriend and finally obtained a temporary restraining order against him while seeking a permanent one. Washington’s criminal history is a long list of violence against women, including convictions for sexual battery, aggravated assault, and drug possession.
According to The Charley Project, 23-year-old Deborah shared with friends, family, and authorities that 30-year-old Washington held her against her will inside her own home and became violent on numerous occasions. She said she was afraid for her life and wanted to make sure that, legally, he could not come near her home or workplace. Further, she wanted the same for the home of her good friend, babysitter, and neighborhood matriarch, 57-year-old Crystal Anderson.
Deborah Was Ready To Face Off In Court
The weekend before Deborah was supposed to attend a court hearing about her restraining order, the Florida woman vanished. Deborah was scheduled to visit Crystal’s Pahokee home on June 23, 2013, as the two women planned to attend church together that day.
However, late in the evening the following day, Crystal was found dead in her home. Deborah’s SUV was located two miles from her workplace, but she was missing. Investigators immediately contacted Washington and considered him a suspect before they began shaping their theory of what happened to Deborah and Crystal that fateful night.
Witnesses Relay What The Suspect Allegedly Told Them
The Palm Beach Post reports that Washington told a witness he got a ride to Crystal’s home. He argued with her before shooting her twice in the chest in either the living room or the hallway. Washington then took Deborah’s phone, shot her in the chest as well, and held her in his arms as she died. The Charley Project reports this is the theory that police believe.
It’s also speculated that Deborah’s body is somewhere near the Belle Glade sugar cane fields, as Washington reportedly told a witness that he dumped her body there so that the alligators could consume the remains.
By December 2013, Washington was charged with the murders of both women. Deborah’s body has never been found. In July 2019, he was found guilty of two counts of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison.
Deborah remains missing.
Deborah Ann Jessie: What To Know
At the time of her disappearance, Deborah Ann Jessie was 5 foot 7 inches tall and weighed approximately 150 pounds. She has black hair, brown eyes, and a tattoo on her arm. She had pierced ears and also spelled her name “Debra.” She was last seen wearing blue and white striped pants with silver and blue flip-flop sandals.
Anyone with any information regarding the disappearance of Deborah Ann Jessie and the murder of Crystal Anderson is urged to contact the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office at (561) 688-3000 or their local authorities. They are our sisters, and their lives matter.
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