Iowa man sentenced to life for shooting his dad, who he 'hunted and killed'

FORT DODGE, Iowa (TCN) -- A judge sentenced a 26-year-old man to life in prison for killing his father and leaving his body in a ditch in a rural area.

KCCI-TV reports Alec Jones received the sentence, which must be served without parole, on Tuesday, Oct. 8, in connection with the death of his father, Dennis Jones. His brother, Nathan Jones, is also facing charges relating to Dennis Jones' death, but he has not gone to trial yet.

A mail carrier discovered Dennis Jones' body in a ditch on April 26 while out on his route. Webster County deputies arrived at the location and found the body with gunshot wounds. Detectives concluded Dennis Jones was not killed in the same location where his body had been left. The investigation led to the arrest of Alec Jones for first-degree murder and Nathan Jones for aiding and abetting first-degree murder.

The Messenger reports Alec Jones shot his father three times at their home in the early morning of April 26, then moved his body to the ditch. He reportedly used a gun with a flashlight attached to it, which investigators found as evidence. Prosecutors reportedly argued that the victim was "hunted and killed by Alec Jones." Alec Jones also allegedly messaged his brother that "someone was going to end up dead that night."

According to The Messenger, Alec Jones' attorneys claimed Nathan Jones' gun was used in the fatal shooting. They also said Alec Jones had methamphetamine in his system the day of the shooting, which led to his violent actions.