Daniel O. Jones

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Daniel Jones
Jones in 2004
Born
Daniel Oliver Jones

(1969-09-26) September 26, 1969 (age 54)
Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Criminal statusIncarcerated
Conviction(s)First degree murder
Second degree murder (3 counts)
Forcible rape
Armed criminal action
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment without parole
Details
Victims4
Span of crimes
1998–2001
CountryUnited States
State(s)Missouri
Date apprehended
March 8, 2001

Daniel Oliver Jones (born September 26, 1969) is an American serial killer who raped and stabbed four young women to death in Kansas City, Missouri, between 1998 and 2001. He was arrested shortly after the final murder, and DNA evidence linked him to the previous crimes, after which he confessed and was given multiple life sentences.[1]

Early life[edit]

Jones was born on September 26, 1969. A native of Kansas City, Jones attended Raytown South High School in Raytown, Missouri. While a student, he built a reputation as a disrupter in class and was frequently in trouble.[2] On May 20, 1987, Jones attacked a female teacher and dragged her from her classroom into the school's auditorium where he raped her. After threatening to kill her, the teacher was able to escape about 15 minutes later. Jones was arrested three days later when the victim identified him from the school yearbook. Jones pleaded innocent at his arraignment when he was indicted on one count of forcible rape.[3][4]

In 1988, Jones was found guilty and was sentenced to ten years in prison. In 1989, he attempted to appeal his sentence by claiming that prosecutors should have been prohibited from using his inappropriate school behavior as evidence, but the appeal was rejected.[2] In August 1996, Jones was paroled after serving eight years of his sentence.[1][5]

Murders[edit]

On December 2, 1998, Jones broke into the apartment of 19-year-old Jenai Douglas, a lifelong acquaintance of his. He brandished a knife and stabbed Douglas numerous times in her bedroom, killing her.[1] After the murder, Jones left the apartment without stealing any items, and her body was discovered later that day by a roommate.[6] According to Kim Douglas, the victim's mother, Jones would visit her house on multiple occasions to offer condolences after Jenai's killing.[1]

On March 10, 1999, Jones broke into apartment of 21-year-old Kaliquah Gilliam. Jones brandished a knife and attacked Gilliam, stabbing her a total of 36 times before Gilliam died.[1] Five months later, on August 16, Jones smashed the back patio window to enter the apartment of 21-year old Roxanne Colley. Jones had previously known Colley as Colley had an affair with Jones.[1] After intruding her apartment and finding her, Jones brandished a knife and attacked Colley, raped her, and stabbed her repeatedly before slashing her throat, ultimately killing her.[1]

In February 2000, shortly after the first anniversary of Jenai Douglas' murder, a reward of $3,000 was offered for information leading to an arrest. Kim Douglas had added an extra $2,000 to the standard $1,000 in hopes of a better media attention to the case.[7] On March 6, 2001, Jones broke into the apartment owned by 18-year-old Candriea White, a young mother of two, at the Linden Hill apartment complex. Jones chased her with a knife from room to room before restraining her in the kitchen and stabbing and slashing her 14 times. After White died, Jones left the house, having not harmed her infant children who were also home.[8]

Arrest and trial[edit]

On March 8, Jones was arrested after his palm print was matched to the one that the killer left at the house. While in jail, a sample of his DNA was collected by investigators who matched the sample to semen evidence left behind at Roxanne Colley's murder.[9] Jones appointed Horton Lance to defend him during his trial. In his trial, Lance brought up that Jones had an alibi the day of the murder, as his family members testified that he was with them that afternoon. Lance also cast doubt on the fingerprinting evidence that was used to charge Jones, saying that the prosecutors lacked witnesses, a confession, and a motive.[10] On August 21, 2002, the jury found Jones guilty of White's murder, subsequently imposing the sentence of life imprisonment without parole.[1]

When re-looking at older cases, investigators noted how similar the killings of Douglas and Gilliam were to Jones' modus operandi.[11] Jones' DNA was also taken and compared to the murders of Douglas and Gilliam, but the samples were not enough to identify him as the killer.[1] In 2004, Jones confessed to killing Douglas and Gilliam and offered to plead guilty to all charges. Gilliam's grandmother said that, while she was frustrated with Jones, she did not want him to be sentenced to death because, according to her, he was just a young man.[1]

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Joe Lambe (March 20, 2004). "Killer's deal angers victims' families". Kansas City Star.
  2. ^ a b "Court affirms rape conviction of Raytown South student". Kansas City Star. August 29, 1989. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  3. ^ "STATE v. JONES | 777 S.W.2d 639 (1989) | w2d63921376 | Leagle.com". Leagle. Retrieved 2022-05-03.
  4. ^ Joseph M. Eberhart (June 25, 1987). "KC teen pleads innocent in rape". Kansas City Star.
  5. ^ Joe Lambe (July 12, 2001). "Man is accused in second murder". Kansas City Star.
  6. ^ "Homicide case". Kansas City Star. December 4, 1998. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  7. ^ "Police seek tips". Kansas City Star. February 2, 2000. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "Killer admits to more crimes". Associated Press. March 20, 2004. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "Prints used to convict K.C. man in killing". St. Joseph News-Press. August 23, 2002. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  10. ^ Joe Lambe (August 22, 2002). "KC man convicted of murder". Kansas City Star.
  11. ^ Joe Lambe (April 18, 2003). "Inmate is suspected in deaths of 2 women". Kansas City Star.
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