MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A Marion County man accused of killing his wife and her four children faced a judge Tuesday. The judge denied bond for Michael Jones Jr.
Officials said an investigation into Michael Jones began Sept. 14 when they received a call from the family of Jones' wife, Casei, that she and her children were missing and had not been seen for at least six weeks.
Watch Tuesday's news conference below:
Officials located Jones in Georgia the next day during a traffic incident, where he told officers that his wife's body was in the vehicle that he had just crashed. He later led detectives to the remains of the four children who were reported missing, authorities said.
Officials said after interviewing Jones, they believe he killed his wife in their Marion County home July 10, and killed his stepchildren, 10-year-old Cameron and 5-year-old Preston Bowers, the following day by strangulation.
Officials believe he killed his children, 2-year-old Aiyana and 1-year-old Mercalli Jones, two weeks later by drowning them.
Nikki Jones said that was the last time she saw the children.
"I feel like it's my fault, but everyone says it's not. But as a grandmother, I wish I had never let them go," she said.
He left the bodies in his home for a few weeks before placing them in his van and keeping them there for two weeks, before driving with their bodies to Georgia, authorities said.
Jones faces four counts of first-degree premeditated murder in the deaths of the four children, in addition to the second-degree murder charge in his wife's death. His next court date is scheduled for Nov. 12.
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