NE Unsolved: The Murder of Paula Jacobs

It only took four seconds.

 

Four seconds to take the life of a beautiful young woman, Paula Jacobs.

 

On the night of October 3, 2011, while Paula was visiting her grandmother at the Orchard Gardens Housing Development in Roxbury, at least two gunman opened fire on a courtyard where Paula was standing with friends.

 

It was hail of bullets. And it only took four seconds.

 

Paula's mother was there, she called to her daughter to step inside when she heard the first gunshot. FOX 25's Bob Ward sat down with her to discuss the shooting.

 

"What did you see?" asked Ward.

 

"A hole in her neck. And I just started screaming and crying," Paula's mom told him.

 

"What did she say?" Ward asked.

 

Without hesitating, her mother remembered, "Mommy, I got shot. Those were her last words."

 

Paula passed away six days later at Boston Medical Center. She never spoke again.

 

The murder of Paula Jacobs is a senseless crime. Paula had no connection to the street crime plaguing Boston's neighborhoods. She had no enemies. She was a good person.

 

Yet on October 3, 2011 Paula Jacobs was mercilessly gunned down. Her crime still unsolved.

 

Boston Police Homicide Detective Frank McLaughlin is trying to identify Paula's killers. He recently showed Ward two pieces of incredible evidence.

 

The first, surveillance video. In the seconds before Paula's murder, the video reveals a car, possibly a silver or gray late model Dodge Charger, stopping in the intersection of Zeigler and Dearborn Streets. The doors open and two figures run toward the courtyard where Paula was standing with her friends. Four seconds later, the figures run back to the car, and the car takes off in the direction of Blue Hill Avenue.

 

The second piece of evidence, the ShotSpotter recording. The ShotSpotter zeros in on gunshots. It helps Boston Police locate a shooting.

 

In Paula's case, the ShotSpotter didn't pick up a single gunshot. It picked up a hail of bullets. They were fired indiscriminately into the crowd.

 

One hit Paula. And it all took just four seconds.

 

Frank McLaughlin is determined to find Paula's killers.

 

"Paula Jacobs was a young girl. In the prime of her life," says McLaughlin. "She was down here visiting her grandmother, and this happens. It's important for the community to understand, we need people to step forward and tell us whatever they saw."

 

Watch the surveillance video yourself. Listen to the ShotSpotter system. Maybe you see and hear something that will help bring Paula's family justice.

 

If you know anything about this case, call Boston Police Homicide at (617) 594-7535. Or Boston Police Crimestoppers at 1 (800) 494-TIPS.