Lee Trawick
reporter2@riverbendnews.org
Jordan Gregory Ernsberger (30) is a Knoxville, Tenn., native with a troubled past, including a five-year sentence for theft and burglary. In June 2022, he and his girlfriend, 59- year-old Deborah "Debbie" Lanham, relocated to Wellborn, Fla., despite her family's wishes and warnings. Although he quickly became acquainted with the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office (SCSO) due to his substance possession and burglary, Lanham remained loyal.
According to posts made by family members on her Facebook account before it was taken down, Lanham was a music lover and often wrote songs during her time in Tennessee. However, her demeanor and independence began to change with Ernsberger. While her family and friends could see her changes, they could not help her.
Lanham did not live an easy life, yet had a cheerful and bright outlook. Meanwhile, Ernsberger partook in a world of drugs and lost inhibitions. Their move to Wellborn was meant to be a fresh start for both of them. However, that was not the case. Between June and October 2022, Ernsberger was arrested four times for charges ranging from drug paraphilia to burglary and even domestic violence. Eventually, things had become so strained between the two she decided to end the relationship.
Lanham eventually received a restraining order for Ernsberger out of fear for her safety. She called the SCSO to report he had struck her, resulting in his arrest on Oct. 6, 2022. He was released later the same day.
One week later, on Oct. 31, Earnsberger was arrested for violating his probation.
At the same time, Lanham and her family and friends grew more concerned for her safety, as she constantly interacted with them via phone conversations, texting and social media. Despite many of her family members pleading for her to return to Tennessee, she remained in Wellborn, Fla.
Knowing of his release on Dec. 12, 2022, Lanham's family and friends feared for her safety. After not hearing from her for two days, in the early morning of Dec. 14, her family contacted the SCSO to request a wellness check. Upon arriving at her residence, deputies noticed her vehicle was missing. Lanham was officially reported missing that day.
The following day, Dec. 15, while attempting to locate Ernsberger at a nearby residence, the SCSO located Lanham's vehicle in a wooded area. Evidence gathered from within Lanham's car led investigators to believe foul play was involved in her disappearance. Later the same day, through their continued investigation, SCSO believed Ernsberger had fled Suwannee County and was dropped off by a friend in a particular area of Madison County. The SCSO notified Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) and Madison Police Department (MPD) to be on the lookout for him.
That afternoon, the MCSO received a call from dispatch about a Caucasian male attempting to break into a home in the Living Springs subdivision. Upon realizing the homeowner was home, the suspect fled the residence. The search for the suspect quickly ended in a wooded area within the subdivision after the MCSO and MPD surrounded the area and deployed a K-9 unit and an overhead drone. The suspect was eventually taken into custody without further incident and later determined to be Ernsberger. He was then transported to the Madison County Jail.
While in the Madison County Jail, the SCSO requested permission to speak with Ernsberger on the disappearance of Lanham. Despite many conversations, he remained quiet and refused to discuss anything involving the whereabouts of Lanham.
On Dec. 20, SCSO investigators followed the evidence gathered regarding the disappearance of Lanham to a location on State Highway 6, in Hamilton County, where they discovered the body of a deceased Caucasian female in the woods. The SCSO notified the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, who assisted in securing the scene and evidence and removing the body. The remains were sent to Jacksonville coroner office for identification. SCSO Sheriff Sam St. John reported the remains were sent in the hopes of getting Ernsberger to talk. Unfortunately, he still would not speak to investigators concerning the case.
On March 6, 2023, the corner's office released their finding of the remains, confirming the body was, in fact, that of Lanham. Along with the positive identification, the coroner office determined Lanham's cause of death to be that of blunt force trauma to the head. These findings elevated Ernsberger from a person of interest to the prime suspect.
Upon his release from the Madison County Jail on Tuesday, Aug. 15, from his attempted burglary charges, Ernsberger was arrested by the SCSO on an active warrant for homicide. He was then transported to Suwannee County Jail, where he was charged with the second-degree murder of Lanham.