Tavaris Jackson, 35, faces one count of open murder, a felony punishable by up to life in prison, in the death of 22-year-old Harley Corwin, whose body was found in Delta County’s O.B. Fuller Park in Ford River Township in July 2023 along with other charges. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

ESCANABA – A judge ruled Thursday that certain other acts of evidence will be admissible in the upcoming murder trial of Tavaris Jackson, who is accused of killing his pregnant ex-girlfriend in 2023.

Jackson, appeared virtually in the 47th Circuit Court of Delta County in Escanaba for a motion filed by the Michigan Attorney General’s Office seeking to include other acts of evidence related to Samantha LaFave, a woman who Jackson previously had a relationship with.

Jackson faces one count of open murder, punishable by up to life in prison, in the death of 22-year-old Harley Corwin. Corwin’s body was found in Delta County’s O.B. Fuller Park in Ford River Township in July 2023.

He also faces one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, a two-year felony, and one count of assault resulting in the death of a fetus, a felony punishable by up to life imprisonment.

LaFave, who shares a child with Jackson, reportedly began a relationship with him when she was 14 years old. The relationship continued on and off until just weeks before Corwin was killed in 2023.

During an October 2025 hearing addressing other acts of evidence, Judge John Economopoulos initially ruled that the proposed evidence related to LaFave would not meet the admissibility standard unless prosecutors made a stronger offer of proof.

The Attorney General’s Office later filed a supplemental brief that included police interviews with LaFave, which were discussed during Thursday’s hearing.

In law enforcement interviews conducted in July 2024 and October 2025, LaFave described multiple instances in which Jackson allegedly exhibited violent behavior. The alleged acts must have occurred within 10 years of the offense date of July 3, 2023, to meet the statutory standard of admissibility unless the court determines admitting the evidence is in the interest of justice and various other factors.

In a July 5, 2024, interview with law enforcement, LaFave described an incident around 2019 in which Jackson allegedly began wrestling her at his parents’ house and attempted to “choke her out.”

She said the incident lasted approximately 20 minutes before she was able to escape and run to her mother’s house. She was about 15 or 16 years old at the time.

Economopoulos ruled that this incident will be admissible at trial, finding it relevant to Jackson’s alleged propensity to commit acts of domestic violence, particularly against domestic partners.

Some of LaFave’s recollections of other alleged acts of domestic violence committed against her by Jackson – even some occurring outside the 10-year window – were also deemed admissible.

In an Oct. 29, 2025, interview, LaFave told law enforcement that Jackson allegedly would “randomly punch her and try to smack her,” as stated by Economopoulos, or put her in random headlocks.

An incident in which Jackson allegedly threw a bowl of hot ramen noodles at LaFave when she was about 15 or 16 years old will also be admissible as other acts of evidence.

“Under this case, there is a bridge,” said Economopoulos. “There are links in the chain with this defendant regarding his propensity to commit acts of domestic violence. Those links in the chain include not only the acts that he committed with other women with whom he had a dating relationship, children in common, or a domestic connection with, but also with Samantha LaFave herself.”

However, Economopoulos ruled against admitting several other alleged acts LaFave described to law enforcement. Those include instances in which Jackson allegedly damaged her home and stole items while she was away after their child had been airlifted to a hospital, Jackson allegedly put pressure on LaFave to supply him certain prescription medications of hers so he could sell them and more.

Jackson’s trial remains scheduled to take place during a three-week period beginning March 2.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.