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| South Carolina father killed his five children at home ‘by violent means,’ arrest warrants say | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| South Carolina sheriff’s detectives believe that Timothy Ray Jones Jr. killed his five children at home “by violent means” about one week before their mother — Jones’ ex-wife — reported them missing. | South Carolina sheriff’s detectives believe that Timothy Ray Jones Jr. killed his five children at home “by violent means” about one week before their mother — Jones’ ex-wife — reported them missing. |
| Jones, 32, was served Thursday with arrest warrants on five counts of murder in connection with the deaths of his children, who were ages 1 through 8, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department announced in a news release. Jones was transported Thursday from Raleigh, Miss., where he’d been jailed following a traffic stop, back to South Carolina, where he and the children had lived. | Jones, 32, was served Thursday with arrest warrants on five counts of murder in connection with the deaths of his children, who were ages 1 through 8, the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department announced in a news release. Jones was transported Thursday from Raleigh, Miss., where he’d been jailed following a traffic stop, back to South Carolina, where he and the children had lived. |
| He is scheduled to appear in court Friday morning, when a Lexington County magistrate will advise Jones about the charges filed against him, sheriff’s officials said. | He is scheduled to appear in court Friday morning, when a Lexington County magistrate will advise Jones about the charges filed against him, sheriff’s officials said. |
| According to Lexington County Sheriff Lewis McCarty, “arrest warrants allege that Jones willfully and maliciously killed his five children by violent means at his Lexington home.” Jones then removed the bodies from his home, placed them in his Cadillac Escalade and drove to Alabama, where, the arrest warrants allege, he “placed the bodies in individual plastic trash bags and discarded the trash bags in woods.” | According to Lexington County Sheriff Lewis McCarty, “arrest warrants allege that Jones willfully and maliciously killed his five children by violent means at his Lexington home.” Jones then removed the bodies from his home, placed them in his Cadillac Escalade and drove to Alabama, where, the arrest warrants allege, he “placed the bodies in individual plastic trash bags and discarded the trash bags in woods.” |
| The bags were recovered Tuesday afternoon in Alabama, after Jones had been stopped at a Mississippi traffic checkpoint. He eventually led investigators to the children’s remains. | The bags were recovered Tuesday afternoon in Alabama, after Jones had been stopped at a Mississippi traffic checkpoint. He eventually led investigators to the children’s remains. |
| According to the arrest warrants, evidence recovered from the Escalade, combined with “investigative findings and investigative interviews,” confirmed that Jones killed his children. | According to the arrest warrants, evidence recovered from the Escalade, combined with “investigative findings and investigative interviews,” confirmed that Jones killed his children. |
| “Detectives are continuing to investigate the cause of death for Jones’ five children as well as the circumstances of the children’s deaths,” the sheriff’s statement said. Their remains were transported back to South Carolina, and the Lexington County coroner ordered autopsies to be conducted on Thursday, the statement added. | “Detectives are continuing to investigate the cause of death for Jones’ five children as well as the circumstances of the children’s deaths,” the sheriff’s statement said. Their remains were transported back to South Carolina, and the Lexington County coroner ordered autopsies to be conducted on Thursday, the statement added. |
| The grim details of the alleged killings were made public one day after the release of case files that showed state social services officials had investigated Jones after receiving allegations of abuse earlier this year. | The grim details of the alleged killings were made public one day after the release of case files that showed state social services officials had investigated Jones after receiving allegations of abuse earlier this year. |
| The South Carolina Department of Social Services received three reports about the children, but none of the investigations that followed ended in their removal from Jones’s home. Jones, officials say, was the children’s primary legal custodian. | The South Carolina Department of Social Services received three reports about the children, but none of the investigations that followed ended in their removal from Jones’s home. Jones, officials say, was the children’s primary legal custodian. |
| The first social services report, for neglect, was received in September 2011. A case worker who visited the Jones home found a messy house, filled with clutter and construction equipment, and told the family that conditions needed to improve. | The first social services report, for neglect, was received in September 2011. A case worker who visited the Jones home found a messy house, filled with clutter and construction equipment, and told the family that conditions needed to improve. |
| That case was closed in 2012, and DSS didn’t receive another report until 2014, when Jones was accused of physically abusing his children. That was followed by a second report of abuse a few months later. | That case was closed in 2012, and DSS didn’t receive another report until 2014, when Jones was accused of physically abusing his children. That was followed by a second report of abuse a few months later. |
| “General or specific observations or impressions: Dad appears to be overwhelmed as he is unable to maintain the home,” an Aug. 13 social services case document said, “but the children appear to be clean, groomed and appropriately dressed.” | “General or specific observations or impressions: Dad appears to be overwhelmed as he is unable to maintain the home,” an Aug. 13 social services case document said, “but the children appear to be clean, groomed and appropriately dressed.” |
| The file also noted that Jones’s baby suffered from diaper rash and that Jones “was encouraged to take her to the doctor for treatment,” but that “none of the children made any statements of abuse/neglect.” | The file also noted that Jones’s baby suffered from diaper rash and that Jones “was encouraged to take her to the doctor for treatment,” but that “none of the children made any statements of abuse/neglect.” |
| Jones’s ex-wife reported their children missing Sept. 3. Authorities didn’t issue an Amber Alert because Jones was the primary caretaker. | Jones’s ex-wife reported their children missing Sept. 3. Authorities didn’t issue an Amber Alert because Jones was the primary caretaker. |
| “We were trying to balance the children and the investigation against the releasing of information,” McCarty, the sheriff, told reporters as he defended the decision. “I made a promise to these children’s mother that I would bring these children home, and I was not going to go back on that promise.” | “We were trying to balance the children and the investigation against the releasing of information,” McCarty, the sheriff, told reporters as he defended the decision. “I made a promise to these children’s mother that I would bring these children home, and I was not going to go back on that promise.” |
| “Let it be known that people will come to their own conclusions and as parents, we can understand that decision based on the circumstances,” Jones’s father, Timothy Jones Sr., told reporters, according to the State newspaper. “But please remember that our Little Tim is a very loving father, brother and son.” | “Let it be known that people will come to their own conclusions and as parents, we can understand that decision based on the circumstances,” Jones’s father, Timothy Jones Sr., told reporters, according to the State newspaper. “But please remember that our Little Tim is a very loving father, brother and son.” |
| Authorities say the 32-year-old has confessed to the killings, according to reports. | Authorities say the 32-year-old has confessed to the killings, according to reports. |
| Court documents reviewed by the New York Times show that Jones and his wife went through a bitter divorce and that he struggled with abandonment issues. | Court documents reviewed by the New York Times show that Jones and his wife went through a bitter divorce and that he struggled with abandonment issues. |
| “When asked his biggest fear, Mr. Jones stated that he did not want to feel abandoned by his wife,” Dr. April M. Hames, a marriage and family therapist, wrote, according to the Times. “He did not want to feel unwanted and ‘tossed away without even knowing it.’” | “When asked his biggest fear, Mr. Jones stated that he did not want to feel abandoned by his wife,” Dr. April M. Hames, a marriage and family therapist, wrote, according to the Times. “He did not want to feel unwanted and ‘tossed away without even knowing it.’” |
| The Associated Press reported that Jones had a criminal record in Illinois and had served time in prison following his arrest for incidents that included burglary, stealing a car and passing forged checks. Jones’s father confirmed the record, calling it a case of a “typical teenager doing stupid stuff.” | The Associated Press reported that Jones had a criminal record in Illinois and had served time in prison following his arrest for incidents that included burglary, stealing a car and passing forged checks. Jones’s father confirmed the record, calling it a case of a “typical teenager doing stupid stuff.” |
| You can read the DSS case file here: | You can read the DSS case file here: |
| Jones DSS File | Jones DSS File |