Casei Jones and her four kids were reported missing over the weekend. Detectives said Jones then admitted to the killing of the couples four children:Cameron Bowers, 8; Preston Bowers, 4;Mercalli Jones, 2;and her 11-month-old sister, Aiyana Jones. The following day, Jones took his two stepchildren, Preston Bowers, 4, and Cameron Bowers, 8, to stay with their father as he frantically devised a plan to cover up his wifes murder. As of Thursday,302people were on the state's death row, according to the Department of Corrections website. With a Spanish speaking juror on the panel, the judge wanted to find out from the foreman and the juror if there were any communication problems. To keep up with the latest local news subscribe to our TV20 newsletter HERE and receive news straight to your email every morning. On Friday, April 28, 2023, Marion County Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti sentenced Michael Wayne Jones to death for the murder of his four children and life without the possibility of parole for the death of his wife. },false) "They don't know where she's at. Correct, Fabian replied. }); On Tuesday, October 22, 2019, they will fomally ad the. He also sentenced Jones to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering his wife, Casei Jones, and credited him with 1,322 days of time served. All the latest news, showbiz, lifestyle and sports updates, brought to you by our dedicated American team. Detectives determined her husband, Michael Jones, was a person of interest in the disappearance, according to the sheriffs office. . Michael Wayne. Which member of the royal family are you? Jurors wanted the defense mitigation list translated from English to Spanish for one juror. He was arrested and charged with her death. hitType: 'event', Demi Moore has not left Bruce Willis's side and is doing everything to make his 'last moments happy', 'Stop it!' They went to the house and she's gone. Facing a possible death sentence, Michael Wayne Jones has pleaded guilty to killing his wife and their four children. By Staff Report. He led them to the remains of the four children Aiyana, one; Mercalli Jones, two; Preston, five; and Cameron Bowers, 10, near Brantley County in Georgia. The judge also sentenced Jones to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering Casei. So you agree that that information could be very helpful in what his mental state was and what he was thinking? The victim's remains were in a tote, authorities said. He was then drowned in a bathtub and his body was also put in a suitcase.Jones drove with his two young daughters a few days later after the first three heinous killings. On Friday, during a hearing at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala, Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti sentenced Jones to death for the deaths of the four children. He added that jones dropped out of school at 16, has a low IQ score and his academic skills are equivalent to a 6th grader. Both of their bodies were put in a single tote bag. With the plea, prosecutors saidinstead of having a trial, the next step isthe penalty phase where a jury of 12 peoplewould determine whether Jones spends the rest of his life behind bars or is put to death. Yes, said Fabian. You never spoke with him about the facts or circumstances of the murders correct? He then began devising plans by dropping the boys, his two stepchildren Preston and Cameron at their father's place and dropping his two daughters Mercalli Jones and Aiyana Jones, two children he shared with his wife Casei at her mother's home. Michael Wayne Jones Jr. is being held at the Marion County Jail, where he has stayed since being charged with 2nd Degree Homicide for the death of his wife. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. The last Marion resident sentenced to death was Michael Shane Bargo in 2019 for the brutal killing of 15-year-old Seath Jackson. Life or death? All rights reserved. ADVERTISEMENT Jerry Lambe is a journalist at Law&Crime. The January 2023 trial took place a month after Jones pleaded guilty to the murders. Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb. Her husband Michael Wayne Jones Jr. is now in custody for their deaths. However, the prosecutors have not welcomed these defenses and argues for his execution. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! He returned to the Marion County Jail, where he has been since he was arrested in Georgia and returned here for trial. He was picking up their kids from school and hanging out with the kids? She told the jury that Jones "sentenced those children to death," and the same should happen to him. ga('create', 'UA-67136960-15', 'auto', 'ads'); Jones, who has been behind bars since his arrest in 2019, was granted credit for the 1,322 days he spent in jail for the life sentence in connection to his wife's death. After reaching the home in the 14000 block of S.E. MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA: A Florida man's fate for death sentence will be decided by a jury for the murder of his wife and her four children in 2019. Jones wrapped his wifes body in blankets, placed it in a large tote bag and put in a closet. I dont know, just everything mounted up and it seemed like the way out, Jones told the investigators when asked about his motive behind the murders, according to Martin County Sheriffs Office documents. When he was interviewed by sheriffs detectives, Jones admitted tokillinghis wife with a metal baseball bat by hitting herrepeatedly. Once inside, deputies immediately detected the foul odor of decomposition, and the area was declared a crime scene. Once inside though they detected the foul odour of decomposition and a crime scene was established. Michael Wayne Jones Jr was sentenced to death for the murders of Cameron (9), Preston (4), Mercalli (2) & Aiyana (11 months) today in Florida. Jones was ultimately arrested on September 15, 2019 after he was involved in a single-car accident and a deputy responded to the scene. Preston was choked with a zip tie the following day. "As a parent it breaks my heart. Michael Wayne Jones Jr., 38, is facing a charge of second-degree homicide for the death of his wife, 32-year-old Casei Jones, who was reported missing along with the four children Saturday night after family members said they had not been seen for six weeks. Relatives of Casei Jones reported her and her four children missing Saturday after they hadn't been seen or heard from in six weeks. The judge will take that recommendation and sentence Jones at a later date. }); media-tech companies with hubs around the world. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), She also described their two sisters as princesses., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, NFL linebackers 2-year-old daughter drowns in pool, Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes possible along East Coast, including I-95 corridor, on Sunday, Golfers get chippy over foursomes slow pace of play, throwing wild kicks and punches on Florida course, Tornado flips cars as it touches down in South Florida. Following Fridays nine-minute hearing, attorneys representing Jones said they had already filed paperwork with the court to appeal the sentence. October 7, 2019. Now that the guilt and penalty portions of the trial are concluded, the final step will be what's known as a Spencer hearing, where the defense has one more crack at persuading the judge to impose life in prison instead of the death penalty. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Two defendants still await sentencing. Spivey argued that Jones' life should be spared because of traumatic childhood experiences and a litany of mental problems. An interrogation video of the Marion County man accused of killing his wife and four kids, 38-year-old Michael Wayne Jones Jr., shed new light onto possible motives in which he explained his . A jury on Thursday unanimously recommended that Michael Wayne Jones, the man who admitted killing his wife and four children in 2019, should be sentenced to death. But with the school year fast approaching, Jones grew concerned that the boys absence would spark questions from staffers at Fruitland Park Elementary. Michael Wayne Jones Jr. (News4Jax screenshot) A state judge in Florida has sentenced a 41-year-old man to death for beating his wife to death with a metal baseball bat, then strangling his 9-year-old and 4-year-old stepsons to death and drowning his 2-year-old and 11-month-old biological daughters. Casei Jones (left) and the four children. Jones was sentenced to death for each of the four children's murders. Sheriffs officials said Jones drownedor strangledthe children at different times on separate days. Yeah his attorneys requested I not, said Fabian. Assistant State Attorneys Amy Berndt and Rich Buxman received hugs and praise from the Bowers family. The next day, Jones said, he choked Preston with a zip tie before drowning him in a bathtub and then putting his corpse into a suitcase. },false) gads_event = event; hitType: 'event', The lawyer said Jones made two confessions,oneto Georgia authoritiesand the other to local detectives. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), MEAWW brings you the best content from its global team of Due to the First Step Act, sentences are being reviewed and recalculated to address pending Federal Time Credit changes. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ eventAction: 'click_image_ads' let gads_event; He graduated from Loyola University of California in 1956 and served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve. The remains were in a wooded area, officials said, stuffed inside a suitcase and sealed totes. This week, a jury is deciding whether a Summerfield man who pleaded guilty to killing his wife and their four children should be sentenced to death. Sure, Fabian replied. Producer: McQ. We've received your submission. Your login session has expired. The trial took a break for the Christmas holidays and resumed on Jan. 5 with the defense presenting its case. The four kids two of whom he fathered were asleep at the time. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. Thanks for contacting us. Michael Wayne Jones Jr. (News4Jax screenshot). Have a tip we should know? He knew he could face the death penalty for those charges. A week before the next school year began, Cameron was dragged out of his bed and was fatally strangled on the floor. The defense lawyer said Jones, whose court appearances have been few and far between since his 2019 incarceration,is also takingmedication while at the Marion County Jail. By 2:12 p.m., the judge was informed the jury had reached a verdict. He later led detectives to the remains of the four children Cameron, 10, Preston, 5, Mercalli, 2, and Aiyana, 1 officials said. But he eventually backed out of the plan, instead opting to drown both tots in a bathtub and putting both of their bodies into a single tote bag. Defense attorney point to Jones deeply dysfunctional upbringing as grounds for the lesser punishment, while prosecutors are pushing for his execution. pg.acq.push(function() { Michael Wayne Jones . Please logout and login again. A sister of Casei Jones testified at the trial last week, tearfully telling the court that her nephew Cameron was a sweet, loving little guy, according to the outlet. Following Friday's hearing, Michael Wayne Jones' attorneys from the public defender's office said that they plan to appeal the sentence and had filed the paperwork with the motion. Click to reveal Locate the whereabouts of a federal inmate incarcerated from 1982 to the present. eventAction: 'click_adunit' Hes a low-functioning guy he doesnt have a lot of cognitive emotional resilience is what I call it. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), A day later, Jones was arrested in Brantley County, Georgia, after he was involved in a crash. What did Michael Wayne Jones do? Shaken investigators asked Jones why he killed the children. He is a graduate of Georgetown University and New York Law School and previously worked in financial securities compliance and Civil Rights employment law. The officer immediately detected the overwhelming stench of a decomposing body and Jones told him to get some handcuffs readied. Correct, said Fabian. He then put the childs body in a suitcase. 2023 www.ocala.com. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), ga('ads.send', { hitType: 'event', Questions flew while Jones walked from the sheriff's office to the cruiser which took him to jail, but he remained silent and barely looked up.
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