End of Watch: 09/02/2008
Agency: Skagit County Sheriff’s Office
County: Skagit County
Hero Remembered…
Deputy Anne Marie Jackson was born in Savannah, Georgia in August of 1968. After a few months, with her mother and older brother, the family moved Southern California where Anne would spend the rest of her youth. Even as a small child, Anne was cheerful and sunny with a determined passion for horses. She rode her first horse as a toddler, and she knew then she had found her first home.
Throughout her childhood, she excelled at children’s theater, and she sang in an award-winning high school choir, but Anne was determined to get back to horses. With a perseverance that was unrivaled, she learned to compete in a variety of English Saddle and Jumping Competitions on borrowed show ponies. She was given her first horse, “Lisa Image” during her years at Santa Barbara High School and the two were inseparable for the rest of her life. While she still sang with a lovely alto voice in the car, Anne chose her beloved horses over theater or music. She tried secondary academics and achieved an Associates Degree, but found that she preferred action over book learning.
She moved to Whatcom County in her early 20’s with close friends and her horse Image. She tried a retail position but found that she needed more. The same friends urged her to take a wrangler position with Black Mountain Ranch and her natural talent with horses and riders really had a chance to shine bright. She demanded a level of excellence – learned from her years of competitions – that endeared her to the staff and families alike. Deputy Jackson had found a second home where she could share her knowledge and train a new generation of riders.
Financial economics of working as a wrangler forced Anne to consider a new career. She had bought herself property, added more horses to her life and needed to be able to reliably support herself and her animal family. Deputy Jackson was encouraged to apply for an animal control position with Skagit County Sheriff’s Office and after a highly intuitive and successful interview, she was offered the position and found her forever home. Not only did she have a knack for the animals, her warm and calming disposition made her an ideal officer for the area.
After several years, Anne was encouraged to become a Deputy with the department. Even though she was a bit older and had a significant knee injury from being smashed into a fence by a horse, she once again persevered and took on the challenge. She met and exceeded the requirements and returned to Skagit County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy. While grieving the loss of her older brother, Anne moved her beloved Image and offspring Nora to a larger property closer to the office so that her family was in one city.
In the afternoon of September 2nd of 2008, just after her 40th Birthday, Deputy Jackson reported to a disturbance call from a known local resident. After Deputy Jackson did not answer multiple status checks, deputies responded to the house to check on her. Upon arriving at the residence, Deputy Jackson and a civilian were found dead at the scene. The suspect continued to fire upon law enforcement and fled which led to a high-speed chase with multiple fatalities and injuries in the small town.
Deputy Jackson served the Skagit Valley Sheriff’s Department for six years and is survived by her dedicated mother and loving extended family. Although their family “lost their sunshine” that day, her legacy lived on. Lisa Image and her foal were adopted by Santa Barbara friends from her Pony Club days and her stray dog was taken in by a fellow officer who bought a motorcycle side car just to travel with the wily German shepherd.
End of Watch: 09/02/2008
On Tuesday, September 2, 2008 at about 1450 hours, Deputy Anne Jackson of the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office responded to a disturbance at the home of Dennise Zamora in the 19300 block of Bridle Place, near Alger. Dennise reported that her son, Isaac, had been entering neighbors’ homes uninvited all afternoon. Deputy Jackson had previously dealt with Isaac, even responding to their home on Sunday and Monday. She was well aware of Isaac’s mental health issues and criminal history. She had even given the family her phone number to call if they were having problems with him.
After Deputy Jackson arrived at the house, Dennise sent her up to the home of Chester Rose, in the 19500 block of Bridle Place. After Deputy Jackson didn’t answer multiple status checks, deputies responded to the house to check on her.
Upon arriving at the Rose residence at about 1610 hours, Deputy Jackson and Chester Rose were found dead at the scene. Isaac Zamora began firing at deputies before leaving the scene and heading towards I-5 in his car.
Zamora led police on a high speed chase on southbound I-5 where he shot Washington State Patrol Trooper Troy Giddings in the arm. He also shot and killed motorist LeRoy Lange near the Bow Hill Road and wounded another motorist.
Eventually, Zamora turned himself in at the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office.
It was later discovered that Isaac Zamora had shot and killed construction workers Greg Gillum and David Radcliffe at a neighbor’s home in Alger. He also shot and killed neighbor Julie Binschus; wounding her 56 year-old husband. In addition, Zamora stabbed another neighbor.
Isaac Zamora was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to life in a secure mental institution in the murders of Greg Gillum, David Radcliffe, Julie Binschus and LeRoy Lange after pleading guilty. If he is ever found competent, he was to be transferred to prison to serve the remainder of his life sentence.
Zamora was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the murder of Deputy Jackson and Chester Rose in a plea agreement.
Deputy Jackson served the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office for six years. She is survived by her parents.