Feb 4, 2007 11:30 am US/Eastern
Few Answers In Former Morgan St. Student's Murder
by Kathryn Brown
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
New insight into the high-profile murder of Sintia Mesa reveals her boyfriend, who remains a person of interest in the case, faced a judge for an unrelated violation Friday night.
Before making her decision in the unrelated drug case, the judge spoke with Baltimore City homicide detectives about Mesa's murder, then decided Jermarl Jones should be free to go.
Despite the ruling, prosecutors appealed and Jones will still be held by federal law enforcement officials until sometime next week.
A heartbreaking funeral service brought both pain and comfort to friends and family. One person missing from the service was Jones, now in custody on charges he violated the terms of his release on an unrelated drug case and is a "person of interest" in Mesa's murder.
In a hearing Friday, federal authorities quickly pointed out Jones' possible involvement in Mesa's murder--in which he is not being called a suspect.
"She and he had a four and a half year relationship. There's nothing to suggest anything was wrong with their relationship and I just think the government is using it as a vehicle to try and seek his detention," said Stanley Needleman, Jones' attorney.
Now
Eyewitness News digs deeper into testimony given by federal agents who say in the days leading up to Mesa's murder, she and Jones were living together at her parents' home and, as a condition of Jones' pre-trial agreement, Mesa would verify his whereabouts with authorities.
When her asphyxiated, naked body was found in the trunk of her own car Monday, investigators immediately began searching for Jones. Tuesday, authorities got a call from Jones' friend who said he was distraught over the murder and no longer felt comfortable living with Mesa's parents. After that Jones dropped off the radar.
According to testimony given by federal agents tracking Jones' cell phone, he last used it in Baltimore City, then turned it off Tuesday evening.
Thursday, Jones turned himself in on charges he violated his release agreement. Despite the aggressive push by prosecutors, Jones will be set free unless federal officials determine their appeal is valid.
"We sought detention immediately and we continue to believe he ought to be detained but that's a decision the judge will have to make," said U.S. attorney Rod Rosenstein.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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