Jamie  Paxton's mother holding a photo of her son  (The Beacon Journal)

Jean Paxton decided that mourning Jamie was not enough.   She wanted to know who had killed him and why.  Jean Paxton used the only method at her disposal to try and get the answers she and her husband so desperately sought.

A short time after Jamie’s murder, Jean began a letter-writing campaign, sending letters to the killer via the Martin’s Ferry Times Leader newspaper:

"To the murderer(s) of my son, Jamie, Would it be easier for you if I wrote words of hate?  I can't because I don't feel hate.  I feel deep sorrow at losing my son.  You took a light from my life November 10 and left me with many days of darkness.  Have you thought of your own death?  Unless you confess your sin and ask for God's forgiveness, you will face the fire and fury of hell.  When you are caught, I will be sorry for your family.  They will have to carry the burden of your guilt all their lives.”

Investigators had told Jean that the killer was probably ruthless and would not be moved by her pleas.  But she persisted.

"It's been nearly a year since you killed my son," she wrote in October 1991.  "Has your life changed in the past 11 months?  Our family hasn't lived since last November 10.  We are surviving one day at a time.  There is one question on our minds all day long and every time we wake up at night: we want to know why Jamie was killed."

Jean’s work finally paid off.  The killer sent an anonymous, typed letter addressed to the Times Leader, Sheriff McCort and the Paxtons.  After providing previously undisclosed details of the murder scene, he explained himself:

"I am the murderer of Jamie Paxton.  Jamie Paxton was a complete stranger to me.  I never saw him before in my life, and he never said a word to me that Saturday. 

“Paxton was killed because of an irresistible compulsion that has taken over my life.  I knew when I left my house that day that someone would die by my hand.  I just didn't know who or where.  Technically I meet the definition of a serial killer, but I'm an average-looking person with a family, job and home just like yourself.

“Something in my head causes me to turn into a merciless killer with no conscience.  To the Paxtons, you deserve to know the details.

“I was very drunk and a voice inside my head said, ‘do it.’  I stopped my car behind Jamie's and got out.  Jamie started walking very slowly down the hill toward the road.  He appeared to be looking past me at something in the distance.

“I raised my rifle to my shoulder and lined him up in the sights.  It took at least five seconds to take careful aim.  My first shot was off a little bit and hit him in the right chest.   He groaned and went down.  I wanted to make sure he was finished so I fired a second shot aimed half way between his hip and shoulder.  He was crawling around on the ground.  I jerked the shot, and hit him in the knee.  He raised his head and groaned again.  My third shot also missed and hit him in the butt.  He never moved again.

“Five minutes after I shot Paxton, I was drinking a beer and had blocked out all thoughts of what I had just done out of my mind.  I thought no more of shooting Paxton than shooting a bottle at the dump.

“I know you hate my guts, and rightfully so.  I think about Jamie every hour of the day, as I am sure you do.

“Don't feel bad about not solving this case.  You could interview till doomsday everyone that Jamie Paxton ever met in his life and you wouldn't have a clue to my identity.  With no motive, no weapon, and no witnesses you could not possibly solve this crime.”

The letter was signed, “The murderer of Jamie Paxton.”

The Belmont County Sheriff's Office now had its first lead.  Jean Paxton’s love for her son, and her antipathy for his killer, had exposed a serial killer the authorities had no idea even existed, and when he struck again the pieces began to fall into place.