Jerry Ackerson was described as a "tough character" by fellow Tombstone, AZ residents. The newspaper, Tucson Citizen, described Ackerson as a "well known man in the county, and has for some time been engaged in mining and stock raising. He was a delegate from Tombstone to the late Democratic County Convention. He was generally regarded as a quiet and peaceable man, although he was identified more or less with the notorious cowboys."

On the evening of October 27, 1880, Ackerson, joined a group of outlaws called The Cowboys at Corrigan's Saloon in Tombstone. This group of Cowboys included their leader, Curly Bill, Dick Lloyd, Ed Collin's and Jimmy Johnson.

Sometime after midnight they, now described as being intoxicated, decided to leave the saloon and roam the streets. Unknown members began to randomly shoot their pistols. Though Curly told them to stop shooting, the shooting continued.

The sound of the shots being fired attracted the attention of the town marshal, Fred White and Wyatt Earp. White found Curly Bill first, as the rest of the group took off. White ordered Curly Bill to hand over his revolver just as Wyatt Earp walked up. When Wyatt grabbed Curly Bill from behind, White, at the same time, jerked the pistol from Curly Bill's hand. This action caused the pistol to discharge. The bullet struck White in the chest.

He would die from his wound several days later.

Wyatt immediately arrested Curly Bill and placed him in the town jail.

Virgil and Morgan Earp quickly rounded up Ackerson, Andy Ames, Frank Patterson, Ed Collins, Jim Johnson and Dick Lloyd. They were all put into jail with Curly.

The next morning they all appeared in court. Curly Bill remained in custody on the charge of attempted murder. Ackerson was released without any charges. The rest of group were fined $10.00 for carrying concealed weapons. Curly Bill would later have all charges dropped and the incident was ruled accidental.

Ackerson, Lloyd, Johnson & James quickly mounted up and headed out of Tombstone towards San Simon Cienega.

On October 31, 1880, (the same day of Marshal Fred White's funeral) two cowhands from Henry Hooker's ranch observed buzzards circling Croton Springs in the Sulphur Springs Valley. When they went to investigate, the cowhands discovered the body of Ackerson.

Ackerson, shot once in the head, was found face down with his Winchester 76 rifle still in his hands. There was one spent cartridge nearby and the rifle was ready to fire off a second round. At the time of his death, Ackerson was approximately 40 years old.

The cowhands buried Ackerson where they found him and notified law enforcement. Wyatt Earp and future Pima County Sheriff, Bob Paul investigated the murder without success. The Tombstone Nugget reported their suspicions that Ackerson was killed by either Jimmy Johnson or Dick Lloyd.