Florida Mom & 4 Kids Who Vanished 6 Weeks Ago All Found Dead; Husband Arrested

Police said they believe Michael Jones Jr. killed the victims and stored their bodies in his home and van for “several weeks.”

September 16, 2019
Casei Jones; Cameron Bowers, Preston Bowers, Mercalli Jones, Aiyana Jones [Marion County Sheriff's Office]

Photo by: Casei Jones; Cameron Bowers, Preston Bowers, Mercalli Jones, Aiyana Jones [Marion County Sheriff's Office]

Casei Jones; Cameron Bowers, Preston Bowers, Mercalli Jones, Aiyana Jones [Marion County Sheriff's Office]

By: Mike McPadden

The search for a missing Florida mom and her four children ended with the discovery of their bodies in Georgia and the issuance of a warrant accusing her husband of second-degree murder, according to police.

Casei Jones, 32, and her four children — Cameron Bowers, 10; Preston Bowers, 5; Mercalli Jones, 2; and Aiyana Jones, 1 — were reported missing on September 14. Concerned relatives allegedly told police they hadn't seen or heard from Casei or the kids since early August, according to the Marion County Sheriff's Office.

It is not yet clear why the family took six weeks to report Casei and the kids missing.

At a press conference on September 16, the Marion County Sheriff's Office announced Michael Jones Jr., 38, is suspected of killing his wife, Casei Jones, 32.

Police said they are still working with prosecutors on possible charges in the slaying of the children — Cameron Bowers, 10; Preston Bowers, 5; Mercalli Jones, 2; and Aiyana Jones, 1. Authorities alleged Michael Jones is the biological father of two of the children.

"Unfortunately," Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods told reporters, "true evil poked its head up here in Marion County. That's about the only best way to describe it."

According to Jacksonville's WJAX-TV, Michael Jones crashed his van in Brantley County, Georgia, on Sunday and told responders, "You may want to put me in handcuffs because there is a dead body inside the vehicle." The body was allegedly that of Casei Jones.

After questioning, Michael Jones allegedly provided officers with the location of the children's remains in a wooded area in nearby Charlton County.

The family's home in Summerfield, Florida, is reportedly located about 150 miles away from where deputies discovered the remains. On Facebook, the sheriff's office wrote, "Detectives believe [Michael Jones] stored the bodies at his home and in his van for several weeks before transporting them to Brantley County, Georgia."

The New York Times reported autopsies on all five victims would commence on Wednesday.

Regarding Michael Jones, Sheriff Woods stated in the press conference, "As far as I'm concerned, as the sheriff of this county, underneath the jail ain't good enough. He has no right to walk the face of this earth."

Next Up

The Twists And Turns Of The Infamous Susan Smith Case

On October 25, 1994, the 23-year-old South Carolina mother drowned her two young children.

5 Things You Need To Know About Susan Powell

In 2009, mother-of-two Susan Powell disappeared without a trace in West Valley City, Utah. Then in 2012, her husband Josh killed himself and their two sons after custody of the children was granted to Susan's parents.

Police Continue Search For Relisha Rudd, Who Was 8 When She Vanished In 2014

‘I have days when I think she's alive. I have days when I think she's no longer with us,’ says Henderson Long of D.C.’s Missing Voices.

How The Abduction And Murder Of A 9-Year-Old Led To The AMBER Alert System

The AMBER alert system first debuted in 1996 as a collaboration between news media and police in Arlington, Texas. Named for Amber Hagerman, the alerts have helped find more than 1,000 abducted children.

Florida Woman Allegedly Murders Roommate, Pours Soda On Herself To Destroy Evidence

Nichole Maks, 35, allegedly murdered her 79-year-old roommate at the Daytona Beach home they shared and tried to cover up the evidence by pouring Diet Mountain Dew on herself.

Inside The 27-Year Investigation Of JonBenét Ramsey’s Murder

On Dec. 26, 1996, the pageant princess was found strangled to death in her family’s home in Boulder, Colorado.

5 Disturbing & Bizarre Facts About Dee Dee Blanchard

Inside the murder of this allegedly abusive mom that brought Munchausen by proxy syndrome into the spotlight.

Quebec Prisoner With 89 Convictions Charged In Young Girl’s 1994 Murder

Nearly 30 years after the body of 10-year-old Marie-Chantale Desjardins was found behind a shopping center, 61-year-old Réal Courtemanche has been charged with her murder.

Former Couple Arrested Almost 35 Years After 5-Year-Old Girl’s Concrete-Encased Body Found

“The baby that was thrown out into a trash pile has been identified, and we’re working to bring justice to her,” an official says.

5 Facts To Know About The Tragic Kidnapping & Murder Of Adam Walsh

Ottis Toole claimed that he abducted Adam Walsh in a Sears mall parking lot after luring him with candy and toys.