Michael Jones: Florida man who killed his wife and strangled four children sentenced to death
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers' discretion advised
MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA: Michael Wayne Jones, 41, a man from Florida, has been sentenced to death for the murder of his wife and four children. Ten-year-old Cameron Bowers, five-year-old Preston Bowers, two-year-old Mercalli Jones, and one-year-old Aiyana Jones. The killings took place in July 2019 after Jones' wife, Casei Jones, 32 accused him of cheating on her.
During a fight inside their home, Jones grabbed a bat and beat his wife to death. He later told police that he did so in a blind fury. Their four young children, who were sleeping at the time, did not wake up during the beating.
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'Hearing lasted for 9 minutes'
Jones's lawyer as per Ocala StarBanner plans to appeal the sentence. The hearing on Friday as per the outlet lasted nine minutes. When the sentences were spoken aloud, Jones, who was clad in a red prison uniform and bound at the waist, looked to the front. He talked for a short while with his attorneys. Jones was taken to the rear and fingerprinted after that, the outlet noted.
Jones concealed his wife's remains in a tote bag that was wrapped in blankets and kept in their house's closet. To provide the impression that she was still alive, he posted things on her social media profiles using her cell phone. After dropping off his own children at their grandmother's place, Jones drove his two stepchildren to visit their father.
Jones ultimately chose to drown his two toddlers in a bathtub
Jones was worried that the children's absence from school would raise suspicions, so a week before one of them was due to return to school, he strangled him and placed his body in a suitcase. The next day, he choked and drowned the other child, also placing the body in a suitcase. Jones considered turning himself in for the murders but ultimately chose to drown his two toddlers in a bathtub.
In September 2019, Jones' car was in a minor collision, and the responding police officers noticed a strong odor coming from the car. Jones' minivan's back was where they discovered Casei Jones' body, and he was arrested. Later, Jones guided the police to the bodies of his four children, which were hidden in a nearby wooded area, as per New York Post.
He pleaded guilty back in 2020
In November 2022, Jones pleaded guilty to the murders, but his attorneys argued that his dysfunctional upbringing—which included being abused by both his father and stepfather and hearing voices telling him to commit crimes—should be taken into consideration when determining his sentence. The jury, however, favored the death punishment and rejected these defenses.
