Kansas bail bondsman, wife charged with murder in death of child ‘believed’ to be man’s son

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – A Kansas bail bondsman and his wife were charged with first-degree murder Friday in the death of a child who authorities believe is the man’s missing 7-year-old son, prosecutors said.

Michael and Heather Jones, who were both jailed on multimillion-dollar bonds, also are charged with child abuse, according to the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office. The office declined additional comment.

Authorities didn’t know the child was missing until they were called to the family’s home late last month to investigate a domestic disturbance. They found human remains on the property that were determined to be of a juvenile. Tests to identify the remains were expected to take weeks.

Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome A. Gorman has declined to address reports that the remains had been fed to pigs at the property, but he has said investigators described the scene “as one of the worst things that they have ever seen.”

Michael Jones, who has been in custody since late last month, is being held on $10 million bond. He was charged earlier with child abuse, aggravated battery and aggravated assault with a firearm. His appointed defence attorney didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment Friday.

Heather Jones was being held on $5 million bond. She didn’t yet have a listed attorney, and a message left on her cellphone wasn’t immediately returned. Her first court appearance is scheduled for Monday.

A Wyandotte County judge also denied requests to release affidavits to support the charges against the couple because the documents are part of an ongoing investigation.

Six children, all girls ranging in age from 10 to less than 2, were taken from the home after the disturbance in late November and are in state custody. Gorman has said the children were healthy and safe, and would be under court jurisdiction “for some time.”

He said the earlier child abuse charge against Michael Jones, described as “torturing or cruelly beating,” indicates the boy was abused between May 1 and Sept. 28.

The Kansas Insurance Department said it has taken steps to suspend Jones’ bail bondsman license.