KALISPELL, Mont. — Derrick James Jackson, a 39-year-old from Bigfork, was found not guilty of killing his mother, Tricia DeMotts, but was found guilty of the murder of her boyfriend, Stanley Grotberg, and tampering with evidence.
The verdict was delivered after nearly five hours of deliberation by a Flathead County jury on Monday.
Jackson faced charges of two counts of deliberate homicide, one count of tampering with evidence, and one count of criminal possession of drugs. His arrest came in the fall of 2022, following reports of car break-ins in Bigfork. Later that day, officers discovered the bodies of DeMotts and Grotberg, both victims of gunshot wounds in their home.
During closing arguments, the prosecution presented key evidence, including body camera footage of Jackson’s arrest and the discovery of the crime scene.
“There are only three people who know exactly what happened at 120 Esteban Lane the night of Oct. 28,” said Deputy County Attorney Katie Handley. “One is the defendant, and you are the sole judges of his credibility. The other two — Tricia and Stanley — can’t tell you. The defendant made sure of that when he fired bullets into the side of their head.”
The defense, however, argued that there was a lack of evidence, contending that Jackson shot Grotberg in self-defense.
Defense attorney Tom Schoenleben said, “It’s when we start looking at the other facts, the evidence, the lack of evidence — how the investigation was conducted — that we start to learn the truth.”
Jackson’s sentencing is scheduled for April 29 at 9 a.m.
