Evidence Exhibit JR-14
Handwritten Journal of Jackson Reed
Recovered from Memphis Marriott, December 4, 2017
[Page 47]
DATE 31, 2017
Motel 6, Oklahoma City (paid cash)
Can't trust anything electronic now. So I’m using an old notebook I bought years ago. Feels like the Marines again - everything written in green monster logbooks instead of computers like every other military service.
Marcus thinks I'm paranoid since encryption is a thing. I say horseshit. I'm not paranoid enough. Maybe she had this planned from the beginning if I crossed her. Memphis stood tall in front of the First Sergeant more than once because she could never let anything roll off her back. Everything got escalated. Traffic stops, enlisted business. Even gate duty. There was always some kind of problem. And I keep thinking this crazy bitch blamed me for all of it and I didn’t have a clue.
But why would she? I checked with the VA. She was honorably discharged. What the hell reason would she have to hold a grudge?
Keep thinking about that chapter. "Wolves Wearing Kindness" in her book. I wrote those words. She fed them to me. "Men who present themselves as allies but harbor predatory intentions." I think she was describing ME. To my face. And I typed it up like a good little ghostwriter.
Christ, none of it was true. Switzerland, the old boarding school teacher. Her father and his death. She was telling me exactly who she thought I was. A predator. A wolf. Someone she needed to destroy.
Well, now it’s my turn. We’re going to Memphis to find out what the truth really is.
[Page 48]
Marcus is on the phone with someone. Nancy's outside smoking. Can't smoke in rental cars anymore.
Need to warn Victoria. She still won’t return my calls. And she’s STILL in LA with Irina. She posted another Instagram story an hour ago. Her and Irina in matching yoga pants. "Morning flow with my guru 🧘♀️✨"
I want to send her Crystal's high school photo. The Columbia application. SOMETHING. But she'll think I'm stalking Irina. Everyone thinks that now. Or worse - she'll show it to Irina. "Look what my creepy brother sent me about you."
Can't risk it.
[Margin note in different ink:] Marcus says I'm catastrophizing. Maybe. But catastrophes happen.
[Page 49]
Same day, 3:47 PM
Thought about calling Mom. She could guilt Victoria into leaving LA. But Mom's been sober for exactly 73 days. Supposedly. One family crisis and she'll relapse. Then Victoria will blame me. Then she'll get closer to Irina out of spite.
Fuck.
Marcus has an idea. Just got off phone with Jeff Paulson. Runs that dating podcast - "Real Talk with Jeff." 2 million downloads per episode. Jeff owes Marcus from something in 2015. (Marcus won't say what. I don't ask.)
The plan:
Jeff reaches out to Victoria directly
Books her for "Instagram Influencers and Modern Dating" episode
Films in Austin (3 days minimum)
Pays flight + hotel + appearance fee
Never mentions Marcus or me
Victoria won't turn that down. 2 million potential followers.
[Page 50]
November 31, 11:23 PM
Marcus made it happen. Jeff called Victoria an hour ago. She already posted about it. "BIG ANNOUNCEMENT SOON 💕"
For the first time in 72 hours, my sister is going to be 1,000 miles from Irina Sterling.
Got kinda blubbery with thanking Marcus. But of course all he had to say was, “Shut up, fag.”
Fair.
[Page 51]
December 1, 2017
I-40 East toward Memphis
Marcus driving, Nancy filming the road
The plan for Memphis:
Find
Irina’sCrystal’s family or anyone who knew her 2003-2005Get someone ON CAMERA talking about her capacity for violence or history of stalking or psycho behavior
Document everything analog - paper, no wifi digital camera. Crystal’s SRB will be coming via electronic file but that’s public record anyway.
Build a pattern that predates my involvement
Nail down when and how she became Irina Sterling
Marcus keeps saying we need "concrete enough that police can't dismiss."
What's concrete:
Charlie's tooth in that storage unit
His blood (DNA confirmed)
Text messages from "Phoenix" (is that even a real person?)
What's not concrete:
My word against hers
A "feeling" she's dangerous
The fact that she maybe possibly killed two men
[Different pen, added later:] We need someone who SAW something. Someone who KNOWS.
[Page 53 - Different paper quality, torn from different notebook]
December 1, 10:15 AM
Memphis city limits
Nancy's filming everything now. Says if there’s another smear campaign it’ll help to have a record of everything we did and said.
Marcus made a point: We're building a case that Crystal Barnett has been deceitful and maybe violent since she was a teenager. But what if that makes her MORE sympathetic? Traumatized girl kills her abusers? That's not a villain story. That's a hero story to half the internet.
I said, "She killed Charlie. He wasn't an abuser."
Marcus said, "You know damn well the social justice warriors will say looking into Irina was basically abuse."
I'm not sure about anything anymore.