Ellie Claire Young was doing what she often did showing up for others. On October 19, 2024, the 22-year-old medical student was volunteering at a breast cancer charity walk at Shelby Farms Park in Memphis, Tennessee. She never made it home. Her death, in a crowded public park in the middle of the day, became one of the most widely covered intimate-partner homicide cases in Tennessee in recent years and eventually led to a 40-year prison sentence for the man responsible.
Who Was Ellie Young?
Ellie Claire Young grew up in Henning, Tennessee, and was pursuing a medical degree at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. By every account from those who knew her, she was exactly the kind of person you would expect to find volunteering at a charity event on a Saturday morning: academically gifted, compassionate, and deeply committed to helping people.
She had a reputation for community involvement and was described by classmates and friends as dedicated and caring. She was twenty-two years old.
What Happened at Shelby Farms Park
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk was already underway when the events that ended Ellie’s life began to unfold.
Investigators later reviewed surveillance footage and license-plate reader data that showed Jackson Hopper Ellie’s 26-year-old former boyfriend entering the park immediately behind her Jeep. The two had recently ended their relationship.
At approximately 12:15 p.m., near the Shelby Farms Visitor Center parking area, Hopper pulled in behind Ellie’s vehicle. Multiple shots were fired. She was hit repeatedly and collapsed in the parking lot. Emergency responders pronounced her dead at the scene. Prosecutors would later state in court that she suffered six gunshot wounds to the head.
The killing happened in daylight, in a public space, during a charity event attended by dozens of people.
The Chase and Arrest
Hopper fled the park after the shooting and led law enforcement on a multi-county pursuit across Tennessee. Authorities alleged that during the chase he reached dangerous speeds, drove recklessly, and attempted to strike officers who had deployed stop sticks. The pursuit ended when officers forced his vehicle to stop in Dyer County.
A firearm was recovered from his vehicle after his arrest.
In the immediate aftermath of the arrest, bystander video showed officers striking Hopper following the crash. That incident led to a separate investigation, and in 2025, six Tennessee law enforcement officers were charged in connection with allegations of excessive force during the arrest, a legal matter entirely distinct from the murder case.
The Charges
Hopper was initially charged with first-degree murder, felony evading arrest, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving, and resisting arrest. He was held without bond.
Prosecutors described the surveillance evidence, witness testimony, shell casings recovered at the scene, and medical examiner findings as a strong foundation for a murder conviction at trial. Investigators and prosecutors treated the case from the beginning as a domestic-violence-related homicide.
The Plea Deal and Sentence
The case moved toward trial over the following months. In February 2026, Hopper declined a plea offer and announced he would go to trial, with proceedings scheduled for July 2026.
That changed on April 15, 2026, when Hopper accepted a new agreement. He pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office stated that the agreement had been reached in consultation with Ellie’s family and that it spared them the ordeal of reliving the events during a lengthy trial. Ellie’s family also filed a wrongful-death civil lawsuit against Hopper, which was paused during the criminal proceedings.
Conclusion
Ellie Young went to Shelby Farms Park to support a cause she believed in. She was a medical student who had spent her short adult life working toward a career built on helping others.
Her case drew widespread attention not only because of the violence of what happened, but because of where and when it happened in a public park, in broad daylight, at a community event. It became a painful illustration of how intimate-partner violence can reach anyone, anywhere, regardless of the setting.
She was twenty-two years old. She deserved better. The sentence handed down in April 2026 is a measure of accountability but it cannot undo what was taken from her, her family, and the world she was preparing to serve.
Note: All details in this article are based on court records, prosecutor statements, and verified reporting from CBS News, Action News 5, the Shelby County District Attorney’s Office, and other cited sources.
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