A Search of Jason Chen's Home Yielded Shocking Proof That He Was a Killer

For many families, Thanksgiving is a time to gather around a table filled with food in order to appreciate each other. Although the occasional family squabble may interrupt an otherwise delicious meal, it kicks off a time of year when people give themselves permission to be a little more kind.

In November 2022, Jasmine Pace was a student at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, which is also where she grew up. When she didn't show up for Thanksgiving, her family grew concerned.

Jasmine's body would be found five days after she was reported missing on November 26. The 22-year-old had been stuffed in a suitcase, which was cruelly left by the Tennessee River. It didn't take long for authorities to make an arrest, which was facilitated by quick thinking on the part of Pace's mother.

Police arrested the young girl's ex-boyfriend based on overwhelming evidence found at the scene of the crime. Where is Jason Chen now? Here's what we know.

A little over four years after Jasmine was murdered, Chen was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, reported News Channel 9. The jury from Williamson County deliberated for less than an hour before landing on the unanimous decision. During the victim impact statements portion of the sentencing, Jasmine's older sister Gabby talked about how much she loved animals and wanted to have children of her own someday.

Jaqueline White, Jasmine's cousin, dropped 60 stones into a glass vase, which represented the number of stab wounds on the young girl's body.

"I have to force myself to remember her beautiful words and not her tiny wrists with handcuffs rusting over that tattoo," said White. She also addressed Chen directly, calling him a coward for tying up a 98-pound girl who had no opportunity to fight back.

Chen is currently serving his time at Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, Tenn.

The first thing that made Catrina Pace think something was going on with her daughter was when Jasmine texted her on November 22 to say she would be spending the rest of the week with a friend.

According to Channel 9 News, Catrina thought this was odd because Thanksgiving was in two days. The following day, Catrina received a location ping from Jasmine's phone but didn't see the text. When a strange photo popped up on Jasmine's Facebook three days later, Catrina went looking for her.

Using the MyChevy app, Catrina traced her daughter's car and found it was abandoned near the Signal View condominiums. That's when she called police who met with her the next day. Catrina revealed that she went to Chen's apartment and was able to get inside. Although no one was home, the concerned mother did find her daughter's credit cards and drivers license.

Police obtained a search warrant and found "blood on the living room hardwood floor, bathroom grout, and bedroom carpet, along with blood splatter on the bathroom wall," reported the outlet. There was also evidence that a "violent altercation" occurred in Chen's apartment.

He was arrested at his family's house in Nashville and charged with first-degree murder. A medical examiner later determined that Jasmine had been "stabbed 60 times in her head, neck, back and arm," per Local 3 News.