The Kaitlyn Coones murder case ended on June 4, 2024, when Coones, then 18, and her 34-year-old boyfriend Jonathon Jones each pleaded no contest to aggravated murder and abuse of a corpse in Lucas County Common Pleas Court and were sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years. Coones, 17 at the time of the killing, beat and strangled Jonathon’s mother, 53-year-old Nicole Jones, in her Sylvania Township, Ohio home in April 2023 after giving Jonathon a five-hour ultimatum to do it himself.113abc. Son, Teen Who Killed Sylvania Twp. Mother for Interfering in Their Relationship Plead Guilty
How Coones and Jonathon Jones Knew Each Other
Coones was in the custody of Stark County Children Services and living in a Canton group home. Authorities described her as a repeat runaway who had previously fled placements in Cleveland, Akron, and Canton.2AOL. Teenager Feared Abducted by 33-Year-Old
Jonathon Jones, then 33, had engaged in sexual activity with Coones when she was 15 or 16 and already in the custody of child services. Investigators also recovered nude photographs of the pair taken at a motel, which Jones had allegedly planned to use for pandering obscenity.2AOL. Teenager Feared Abducted by 33-Year-Old3Sent-Trib. Toledo Man Facing Murder Charge Appears in Wood County Court4Cleveland 19. Canton Teen Gave 33-Year-Old Boyfriend 5 Hours to Kill His Mother, Ended Up Doing It Herself, Police Say That monitor would later place him at key locations in the murder investigation.
The Killing of Nicole Jones
On April 18, 2023, Coones vanished from her Canton group home. Jonathon picked her up at a nearby restaurant and drove her to the Sylvania Township home he shared with his mother, where Coones crawled through a window to avoid being seen by Nicole.2AOL. Teenager Feared Abducted by 33-Year-Old Prosecutors said Coones believed Nicole was standing between her and Jonathon.
Sylvania Township Detective Jake Albright testified that Coones told Jonathon “they needed to do something about his mother” and gave him five hours to act. When he did nothing, she added another hour.5People. Ohio 17-Year-Old Gave Adult Boyfriend 5 Hours to Kill Mom, Killed Woman Herself When Jonathon still failed to act, Coones attacked Nicole on April 19, 2023, striking her in the head with a large rock while she stood at the kitchen refrigerator and then strangling her. Jonathon was reportedly in the living room.6FOX 8. Kaitlyn Coones, Jonathon Jones Get Life Sentences in Murder of Jones’ Mother
The account of the ultimatum came from Coones herself. After her arrest she gave detailed statements to FBI agents, which Detective Albright relayed at a hearing: “Kaitlyn had told Jonathan that they needed to do something about his mother because she was preventing them from being together and she gave him five hours to do something about her, and at one point in the interview, she even mentioned killing her.”7The Independent. Kaitlyn Coones Murder Ohio Boyfriend
Cleanup, the Dumpster, and the Run to Mexico
After the killing, the two bought a tarp and trash bags at two local stores. Prosecutor Jennifer Liptack-Wilson told the court they used the supplies to clean the kitchen and wrap Nicole’s body, which they loaded into the trunk of her own 2021 Buick Encore. They then went out to dinner with the body still in the car.113abc. Son, Teen Who Killed Sylvania Twp. Mother for Interfering in Their Relationship Plead Guilty8People. Ohio Teen, Boyfriend Sentenced Following Murder of His Mother
They drove to a nearby apartment complex and dumped the body in a dumpster that was hauled away the next day. Prosecutors believe Nicole’s remains were taken to a landfill in Michigan.9Canton Repository. Lucas Prosecutors Say Body May Be in Michigan Landfill Investigators traced Jonathon’s movements to the stores and the dumpster using his court-ordered GPS ankle monitor.1013abc. Bond Set for Teen Who Allegedly Gave Boyfriend 5 Hours to Kill His Mother, Then Did It Herself Nicole’s body has never been recovered, and authorities do not believe it will be. Her family publicly criticized the search.1113abc. Sylvania Twp. Man Accused of Killing Mother Facing New Charges
The investigation began after Coones texted a nurse at her group home that she had “killed two people and she was on the run.” Canton police asked Sylvania Township to check on Nicole.12KPLC TV. Police: Teen Gave 33-Year-Old Boyfriend 5 Hours to Kill His Mother, Ended Up Doing It Herself13U.S. Marshals Service. U.S. Marshals Searching for Fugitive and Missing Child From Ohio14Canton Repository. Marshals: Fugitive Jones, Coones Found in Mexico
Charged as an Adult, and the Plea
On November 17, 2023, a judge ruled that Coones would be tried as an adult despite being 17 at the time of the killing. She was initially charged with aggravated murder, murder, abuse of a corpse, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence.4Cleveland 19. Canton Teen Gave 33-Year-Old Boyfriend 5 Hours to Kill His Mother, Ended Up Doing It Herself, Police Say At her February 28, 2024 arraignment she pleaded not guilty, and bond was set at $1.75 million.1013abc. Bond Set for Teen Who Allegedly Gave Boyfriend 5 Hours to Kill His Mother, Then Did It Herself
On June 4, 2024, both Coones and Jonathon Jones pleaded no contest to one count each of aggravated murder and abuse of a corpse. The remaining charges against both were dropped in the deal.15Canton Repository. Toledo Sylvania Jones Coones Murder Prison Sentence Judge Gary Cook sentenced each of them to life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years.113abc. Son, Teen Who Killed Sylvania Twp. Mother for Interfering in Their Relationship Plead Guilty
Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates said in a statement, “This was a horrific event. We are relieved to reach a resolution in this case. We hope this brings some measure of peace to Nicole Jones’ family.”6FOX 8. Kaitlyn Coones, Jonathon Jones Get Life Sentences in Murder of Jones’ Mother Nicole’s brother Robert Jones spoke at sentencing: “The agony of losing Nicki is compounded by the unimaginable betrayal we feel. We are denied the closure that comes with laying a loved one to rest, and we are haunted by unanswered questions and horrific imaginings of her final moments.”8People. Ohio Teen, Boyfriend Sentenced Following Murder of His Mother
The Wrongful Death Lawsuit
On April 18, 2024, one year to the day after Coones ran from her group home, Nicole Jones’s estate filed a wrongful death suit against both Coones and Jonathon Jones in Lucas County Common Pleas Court. Robert J. Jones, Nicole’s brother, serves as administrator of the estate, and attorney Steve L. Crossmock represents it.16Canton Repository. Toledo Sylvania Homicide Nicole Jones Coones Ohio