A gruesome discovery: Georgia deputy recalls finding woman's body in defendant's van

Back in 2019, Deputies Wade Bennett and Chris McDonald of the Brantley County Sheriff's Office in Georgia were called to a single-vehicle traffic crash in a rural area not far from the Florida/Georgia border.

Arriving at the crash site, Bennett asked the driver, Michael Wayne Jones, if he was injured. Jones said no.

Inspecting the minivan, Bennett detected an odor he knew from his past experience was the smell of a dead body.

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Thinking something bad may've happened, Bennett placed his hand on his service weapon. The deputy asked Jones about the smell and was told it was his wife. Jones also told the law enforcement official that he had killed his wife and needed to be handcuffed.

Bennett recalled his encounter with Jones while on the witness stand Friday morning during the second day of testimony in the penalty phase of Jones' murder trial.

Jones is charged with four counts of first-degree murder in reference to the deaths of his children (two were his; two had a different father) and one count of second-degree murder for his wife. Jones has already pleaded guilty.

The 15-member jury, including three, are hearing testimony during the penalty phase. Jurors will decide whether Jones serves life in prison or potentially faces the death penalty.

The background of the case

In September 2019, Georgia sheriff's deputies arrested the 41-year-old Summerfield man after he admitted to killing his wife, Casei, and the four children.

Jones led authorities to the place where he disposed of the children: Cameron Bowers, 9; his brother, Preston Bowers, 4; and sisters Mercalli Jones, 2 and 11-month-old Aiyana Jones.

Talking with Jones, Marion County Sheriff's Office officials were told that Casei Jones was killed first with a metal baseball bat. Jones said he killed each child on different days and times, by strangling or drowning them. Their bodies were placed in either a suitcase or totes, and they remained in them for weeks before they were disposed, officials said.

Investigators theorized that the victims were murdered between July 10 and the end of August 2019.

The prosecution contends Jones should be given the death penalty for his actions. The defense believes that while he should punished, it should be life in prison.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant State Attorneys Amy Berndt and Rich Buxman, and the defense is led by Executive Assistant Public Defender John Spivey, with Morris Carranza and Amanda Sizemore assisting him. Lawyers from both sides took turns questioning witnesses Friday. Circuit Judge Anthony Tatti is presiding.

BCSO deputy testimony continues

Continuing with his testimony, Bennett told the court that after he took Jones into custody, his demeanor was one of a man who was sorry he had been caught, but glad the ordeal was over.

Bennett said he notified other department officials and a warrant was drafted so that the damaged vehicle could be searched. Jones was transported to the BCSO for questioning. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called so a detective from the agency could interview Jones.

Bennett said Jones was cooperative with investigators. Asked why he killed his family, the deputy said, Jones told him "stupidity." The deputy said Jones asked him about Florida's death penalty. Bennett said he told Jones while he doesn't know about Florida's death penalty, he may be eligible for it.

Questioned by the defense, Bennett said Jones did not appear to be high or drunk. Bennett said Jones was placed on suicide watch at the jail because of what they had learned.

Testimony from Georgia Bureau of Investigation officials

Will Ivey of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation took the stand and told the court Jones admitted to killing his wife and the children. He gave Ivey the location where officers could find the children.

The distance from where the crash occurred and the spot where the children were discovered was six miles. Retired GBI official Jamie Karnes, who photographed the scenes, said the area where the children's bodies were recovered was heavily wooded, and was roughly several hundred feet from the roadway.

Karnes said the bodies, which were in totes that had plastic on top of them and closed with duct tape, were about 10 miles from each other. One tote had two of the children. The other two children were in two separate totes.

The prosecution showed graphic pictures of the remains of the children and their mother.

Evidence from the case

The minivan was fingerprinted and inside the vehicle, authorities said there were multiple pictures of the victims, air freshers and mothballs. Officials said the vehicle reeked from the stench of the decomposing bodies.

An autopsy was performed on the recovered remains and one child had a zip tie around their neck. Among the items detectives carried with them back to Marion County were the remains, clothing and the totes.

Rebecca Shaw from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said DNA samples collected from the victims matched their identities.

The jury watched video of two separate interviews: GBI and local sheriff's detectives asking Jones to detail what he did to the victims.

Family members of the victims who were in court on Friday cried, shook their heads and stared at Jones, who was wearing a suit and sitting in front of them with his defense team. When the interview videos were played, Jones had his hands together in front of his face.

During cross-examination from the defense, the line of questioning focused on Jones' mental state during these times.

Victim impact panel

The father of the two boys testified, as did an aunt and teachers.

Teachers Jenna Durling and Erika Steadham told the court that the children were loving and kind to each other and other children. They said they loved to play with toys.

Sarah Gilbert, who read aloud a letter written by her sister Brandy Gilbert, said Cameron loved Mickey Mouse and was a "loving, gentle little guy." Crying, she said Mercalli was a girly princess with green eyes who loved pink. Her sister, Aiyana, was always "smiling and laughing," the woman said.

Gilbert said she has nightmares about the untimely deaths of her nieces and nephews. She said her own children have had a difficult time coping with their cousins dying like this. She said their deaths have made the family sad, depressed and grieving.

Richard Bowers, the father of the two boys, said Cameron was born on his birthday, and his brother Preston, on his father's birthday. He said he took care of them and they brought him joy. He said the boys had a strong bond and they played videogames with each other. He said they were his "little ones," and they were "my two boys."

The day ended with prosecutors showing pictures of the children on a large-screen television. Court will be back in session Monday.

Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Georgia deputy tells Ocala jury: I found victim's body in crashed van