Ormond Beach, FL - An Indiana man accused of stalking and killing his estranged wife who relocated to Ormond Beach has pleaded guilty and now faces life in prison, if convicted.
A press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ) says 62-year-old Jarvis Madison—who was indicted on January 12th, 2017—pleaded guilty to interstate stalking resulting in the death of his estranged wife, 44-year-old Rachael Madison.
According to the DOJ, Jarvis held Rachael against her will on November 15th, 2016 in Indiana and reportedly threatened to kill her and shot at her with a firearm. She was able to escape from Jarvis and, with the help of a relative, relocated to Ormond Beach.
Over the next couple of weeks, Jarvis left multiple voicemails and sent multiple texts to her relatives and attempted to get her to speak to him.
Investigators say Jarvis was staying with 60-year-old Belenda Sandy for a portion of that time at her West Virginia residence. From there, the two of them left for Florida with a firearm and binoculars with the intent to harass Rachael.
On November 27th, 2016, Jarvis made contact with Rachael after she left her relative's Ormond Beach residence alone to go on a jog. The two eventually left the area in Jarvis' SUV. A short time later, Jarvis shot her three times, killing her. Jarvis then left the state with her body in his SUV and traveled back to Sandy's residence in West Virginia. After spending the night, Jarvis purchased a shovel and a tarp and traveled to Tennessee, where he buried Rachael in a shallow grave.
Sandy previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 87 in a federal prison for obstruction of justice. If Jarvis is convicted, he could face life in prison.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, or know someone who is, remember that you are not alone. For assistance and resources in your area, call the Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit the Office on Violence Against Women webpage. Assistance is also available from local law enforcement.
