WEBSTER COUNTY, Iowa (Court TV) — The elder of two brothers accused in their father’s death is standing trial in Iowa.
Alec Jones, 26, is charged with first-degree murder in the April shooting death of 55-year-old Dennis Jones. Alec’s brother, 21-year-old Nathan Jones, is charged with aiding and abetting murder in the first degree. The brothers are being tried separately, with Alec standing trial first.
FILE – (L) Alec Jones, (R) Nathan Jones (Iowa Dept. of Public Safety)
A mail carrier found Dennis’ body in a roadside ditch on April 26, according to the Fort Dodge Police Department . An investigation determined Dennis was fatally shot at another location, then dumped in the ditch.
The brothers were arrested that day. An affidavit obtained by Court TV accuses Alec of shooting Dennis “numerous times,” and “committing this act with prior planning and attempts to conceal his activity” with the help of Nathan.
Alec’s trial began Wednesday, Aug. 7 with opening statements.
TRIAL UPDATES
DAY 2 – 8/8/24
- Jurors hear the final 40 minutes of Alec Jones’ police interview.
- After almost two hours of speaking with law enforcement and asking to lie down to go to sleep, Alec told police he decided right after his father struck his mother that he knew what he wanted to do that evening.
- Alec claims he had the gun in his pocket, pulled the gun out of his pocket, and shot his father, Dennis Jones.
- Law enforcement seems skeptical that Alec shot his father and is covering for his younger brother, Nathan.
- Prosecutors presented evidence collected from the victim’s home and where his body was located in Webster City, Iowa.
- In addition, the owner of Bootleggers (Bar) verified surveillance video from his establishment. The video was not shown to the jury.
- Jurors heard from the owner of Buck’s Guns, Buck Boring, who verified that Nathan Jones purchased a 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun on January 4, 2024.
DAY 1 – 8/7/24
- Prosecutors contend that Alec Jones was not happy with the situation in his home, with his mother being abused by his father, his father using drugs, and his father moving his girlfriend into their home.
- Assistant Webster County Attorney Bailey Taylor says that part of the evidence will show that Alec sent a text message that “someone was going to end up dead that night.”
- Dennis Jones’ called 911 seeking help. He told the operator that his two sons, Alec and Nathan, “were up to something,” wearing black gloves and walking around the home. Dennis expressed that he thought his sons were going to shoot him.
- The investigation led to possibly incriminating surveillance video from a neighbor’s home of what appears to be gunshot flashes, someone yelling, “Go, go, go,” and a car fleeing the location.
- Prosecutor Taylor says that Alec Jones’ story changed several times.
- WATCH: Dad in the Ditch Murder Trial: Prosecution Opening Statement
- Postal worker Steven Sorensen, who discovered Dennis’ body, testified that a co-worker flagged him down and asked him to check out something he thought he saw on the side of the road. He called police after realizing it was a body in a ditch.
- Assistant Medical Examiner Dr. Rory Deol testified that Dennis died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds, and the manner of death is homicide.
- Dennis was shot three times – once through the center torso and exited center back, once just above his left ear and exited out the back of his neck, and once through the left forehead and exited out the back of his head.
- Dennis had scrapes on his back and scrapes on his forehead.
- An internal examination determined there was no bullet fragments or debris inside his body.
- A toxicology report revealed that Dennis had 1100 nanograms of methamphetamine and 220 nanograms of amphetamine in his system.
- Investigators walked the jury through evidence photos taken of the Jones residence.
- A bullet hole was found on the deep freezer in the kitchen of the home.
- A room off to the side of the kitchen had bullet holes that had been recently patched and painted.
- There was a bullet hole through a American flag inside the home’s entryway.
- Investigators tore down the wall using their hands and a hammer found in the home to search for evidence.
- Red stains that appeared to be blood were located on the screen door.
- Two towels were found soaking in the washing machine.
- Investigators turned on their body cameras during the initial “sweep” of the home but turned them off after it was declared cleared.
- The hammer used to tear down the wall was not collected as evidence.
- During the testimony of Lt. Larry Headland, jurors heard about an hour and 51 minutes of a two- and half-hour audio recording of Alec Jones’ police interrogation.
- Investigators asked Alec about the family dynamics with the victim’s girlfriend living at their home. He told investigators that there was a lot of fighting over drug use and other “stuff.”
- Alec admitted to smoking marijuana through a vape and a smoke pipe but had never drunk alcohol before the night of the shooting.
- Dennis was arguing with his wife on April 25. Dennis “smacked” her with an open hand, which left a red mark on her face.
- Alec claims he called his brother to ask when he was returning home. The two left the home and went to a local bar. He met up with his brother’s friend, Aiden, and drove around town for about two or three hours.
- Alec claims that when he returned home just after 2:30 a.m. on April 26, he saw a “mess.” There was water all over the place, the walls had been patched, and the white rug from the kitchen was missing.
- Alec told police he thought it was weird when he got home because the door was unlocked, and no one was inside the home.
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