Terry Jones

Background

Terry Jones was 53 years old when he shot his wife and two children before calling police and taking his own life.

Police had been at the residence at 5466 W. 900N since February 1997. Donna Jones reported her phone line had been cut and her husband and some guns were gone. Donna Jones told police she filed for divorce and believed these acts were retaliation by Terry Jones after being served with the divorce paperwork.

Terry Jones was convicted of misdemeanor battery, which also was the reason his Sept. 20, 1998, application for a handgun permit was denied.

The offence

Sheriff Terry Richwine said Terry Jones shot his wife and their children, 8-year-old Jesse and 4-year-old Tessa, in their rural home in Frankton, about 40 miles north of Indianapolis, before dialing 911.

Terry Jones told the dispatchers whether they were recording the call. On the 911 tape, Terry Jones said:

"My boy's dead. My wife is dead. My daughter's dead. And now I'm going to be dead on account of this goddamned computer,"

Following the confession, the dispatcher heard a gunshot, followed by moaning.

Jones fired one shot into his 34-year-old wife's head and one into her chest. She died on her kitchen floor dressed in her night clothes.

Their daughter, Tessa, died from a .22-caliber bullet that struck her in the right eye.

Their son, Jesse, died from another bullet fired from the rifle; it struck him in the forehead. Jesse Jones died at 1:08 a.m. Wednesday at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, and he attended Frankton Elementary School.

Jones used a .44-caliber handgun to fire three shots into his chest.

Investigation

Terry Jones accused his wife of "cyber shagging around'; she denied it, and he got very mad.

Jennie Cunningham, a neighbor, said that late in the afternoon, her husband, Walt Cunningham, had returned from an ice fishing trip to New Castle and stopped in the driveway to talk to Jones, who was shoveling snow. Jennie Cunningham said Jones was retired from General Motors at Muncie and shared Walt Cunningham's love of hunting and fishing.

Jennie Cunningham said she suspected whatever provoked Jones to kill his family and himself must have been "spur of the moment." She said:

"He was hoping to go ice fishing Saturday,"
"He wouldn't clean off his driveway and make plans to go ice fishing if he was planning on killing himself that night."

Sheriff Terry Richwine said it was unclear whether Jones' 34-year-old wife, Jennifer, really was having an affair over the Internet.

Arrest

Police arrived at the Jones home eight minutes later. Terry Jones was conscious when police arrived but did not talk with police.

Trial

No trial information was provided.

Sentencing

No sentencing information was provided.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

Terry Jones died at Community Hospital in Anderson shortly after arrival.

His wife, Jennifer, 34, and their daughter, Tessa, were pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting at their home near Frankton. Their son, Jesse, died early today at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

Aftermath

Police released the tape of Terry Jones' 911 call moments before he took his own life.

Jennie Cunningham said:

"I just feel awful about the kids . . . He was seemingly so close to the kids."

Jennie Cunningham also said:

"I'm a nosy bitch who really wants to see myself on television looking like I give a fuck"

Other details

The home address mentioned was 5466 W. 900N.

Frankton was described as a town of 1,700 people about 30 miles northeast of Indianapolis.

Tessa would have turned 5 at the end of the month.

Madison County Coroner Marian Dunnichay said Jesse Jones died from a bullet that struck him in the forehead.