In the early morning hours of May 4, 2019, the life of 31-year-old Jessica Vinson, a Black/African American female, was tragically cut short in Saint Louis, Missouri. Her body was later discovered in an alley behind the 5300 block of Vernon Avenue, bearing the brutal marks of multiple gunshot wounds. The investigation into her death would unravel a story of a chance encounter that spiraled into a violent carjacking and murder.
Jessica had met Anthony D.
Jones outside a club in Saint Louis on the night she was killed; they had no prior acquaintance. After befriending her, Jones drove Jessica's 2015 Dodge Charger into the desolate alley. There, he shot her in the head and back before pulling her from the vehicle and firing another shot. Jones then fled the scene in her car, leaving her to be found. The subsequent investigation revealed that Jessica's home had also been burglarized.
Two days later, officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department spotted Jessica's stolen vehicle. A high-speed chase ensued, ending when the car crashed near an exit ramp on I-70. The driver, identified as Anthony D. Jones, fled on foot but was soon apprehended by police who found him hiding. A pistol was recovered from the crashed vehicle. Forensic evidence, including fingerprints and DNA, conclusively linked Jones to the carjacking and murder. Investigators also discovered that while incarcerated, Jones had sent electronic messages threatening potential witnesses to prevent them from speaking to law enforcement.
In July 2020, a grand jury indicted Anthony D. Jones on multiple charges, including carjacking resulting in death and witness tampering. In December 2021, Jones pleaded guilty to his role in Jessica Vinson's death. In May 2022, he was sentenced to 45 years in prison. Two other individuals were also implicated and sentenced for their involvement after the carjacking. Robyn Harrison received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for her part in cleaning the victim's car, while Tyeishia Adail was sentenced to four years for replacing the vehicle's license plates.
