5 key details about Nistasha Tate's brutal crime ahead of Snapped

In March 2021, 23-year-old Nistasha Tate from Vancouver, Washington, became the prime suspect in a shocking murder that rattled the riverside town of Milwaukie, Oregon.

Investigators stated Tate entered the home of 63-year-old Jimmy Alan Pearson, a businessman and owner of the A1 Hawk pawn shop chain, leading to a deadly confrontation tied to theft. Pearson was later found shot inside his expansive residence, a discovery that not only ended his life but also plunged his family into grief and legal disputes.

Court documents revealed that Tate escaped with bags of jewelry and coins and that the murder was intended to cover up the robbery. Her arrest in Florida and subsequent guilty plea provided some relief, but the case also exposed underlying family rivalries over Pearson's $10 million legacy, which he had revised to exclude his daughters just months earlier.

This story of greed, deception, and secret motives will soon be heard by more. Oxygen's true crime documentary series Snapped, which focuses on cases involving women who snap under stress, will air the Tate-Pearson case in a special episode (season 35 episode 21). Viewers can tune in on Sunday, September 14, 2025, on Oxygen.

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Five crucial details regarding crime of Nistasha Tate

1) Jimmy Pearson: A successful pawn shop owner with family strains

Snapped season 35, episode 21 (Image via Unsplash/@Matt Popovich)

Jimmy Alan Pearson built a thriving business empire in the Portland area as the founder and owner of the A1 Hawk pawn shop chain, which operated several locations and dealt in jewelry, coins, and other valuables. At 63, he lived alone in a large home along the Willamette River in Milwaukie, Oregon, enjoying the fruits of his success, estimated at $10 million. Pearson had two adult daughters, Tawnya, 33, and Sarah, 36, but by early 2020, their relationship had become strained.

The daughters had opened their own competing pawn shop, creating the rift and prompting Pearson to revise his will eight months before his death. In the new document, he excluded them as beneficiaries, initially leaving much of his estate to the federal government and later naming two attorneys as recipients, as per The Oregonian. This sudden change raised questions about his mental state, with family members citing possible substance abuse and erratic behavior since 2018.

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2) The events leading to the shooting on March 1, 2021

Jimmy Pearson was the owner of A1 Hawk pawn shop chain (Image via Unsplash/@Arya Dubey)

On March 1, 2021, in Vancouver, Washington, 23-year-old Nistasha Rose Tate went to the home of Jimmy Pearson in Milwaukie. Forensic evidence placed her there in the evening when an altercation became fatal. According to court records, Tate shot Pearson in the back of his head, an injury the medical examiner described as inconsistent with a self-inflicted wound, according to KOIN 6.

The home was left in a state of disorder, with drawers open and jewelry scattered, suggesting a search for valuables. After the shooting, Nistasha Tate allegedly took several bags of jewelry and coins from Pearson's collection, items connected to his pawn shop operations, according to authorities cited by KTVZ.

Reports indicate that Tate had allegedly spoken with Pearson previously, though information regarding their previous association is scarce in public documents. She drove away from the scene but was later stopped by authorities during a regular traffic check in the area.

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3) Discovery of the body and the homicide ruling

Jimmy was found dead in his bedroom (Image via Unsplash/@JOSHUA COLEMAN)

Two days after the shooting, on March 3, 2021, a concerned employee checked on Pearson at his residence on the 1700 block of Oak Shore Lane when he failed to show up for work. There, the employee discovered Pearson's body in his bedroom, facedown in a pool of blood and naked, according to KOIN 6.

The Clackamas County Sheriff's Office responded and held the scene as suspicious from the beginning. Homicidal violence caused by a gunshot wound to the back of the head was confirmed through autopsy by the Oregon State Medical Examiner's Office. Detectives observed the home as being ransacked and valuables missing, indicating robbery as a major factor, reported KTVZ.

The isolated circumstances of the crime reassured people that no danger existed at present, but it initiated a targeted investigation. Initial leads were focused on Nistasha Tate's recent visit, substantiated by phone records and surveillance, paving the way for her identification as the prime suspect.

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4) The pursuit and arrest of Nistasha Tate

Nistasha Tate ransacked valuable items after killing Jimmy (Image via Unsplash/@Tingey Injury Law Firm)

Hours following the killing, Milwaukee police stopped Nistasha Tate's car a block away from the crime scene during a traffic stop, finding some of Pearson's personal belongings inside, immediately raising suspicion. She quickly fled Oregon, first heading to North Carolina and then to Florida.

On April 12, 2021, more than a month later, Nistasha Tate was arrested by a U.S. Marshals Service task force at a Greyhound bus stop in Hillsborough County, Florida, with assistance from the Tampa Police Department and the Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force. She was held on warrants for second-degree murder and robbery and questioned by Clackamas County detectives who had traveled to Florida, KTVZ said.

Extradition soon followed, returning Tate to Oregon. Forensic evidence from the crime scene, along with the stolen items found in her vehicle, played a key role in building the case against her. The sheriff's office commended the multi-agency response for the rapid arrest.

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5) The plea deal, sentence, and estate settlement

Nistasha Tate was sentenced to 25 years in prison (Image via Unsplash/@Tim Photoguy)

In December 2021, 24-year-old Nistasha Tate was initially charged with first-degree murder and first-degree robbery in Clackamas County Circuit Court. On December 16, she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and first-degree theft under a plea deal. Judge Ann Aiken sentenced her the same day to life in prison, with the potential for parole after at least 25 years.

During the hearing, Nistasha Tate addressed Pearson's family, offering an apology for her actions. Meanwhile, the probate case intensified as his daughters contested the will, citing manipulation and Pearson's poor health. Mediation in October 2021 settled the dispute: the sisters got the pawn shops, most funds went into a trust for the grandkids, and the attorneys listed each received $75,000, according to The Chronicle News.

This result reconciled family demands with Pearson's ultimate wishes, ending a chapter in the midst of tragedy.

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