Timothy Jones, an 18-year-old African American male from Elgin, Illinois, tragically lost his life on December 27, 2016. Timothy was a senior at Bartlett High School, known for his love of football and basketball. He was born on December 23, 1998, to Gretchen Boren and Island Jones.
On the fateful day, Timothy was shot in the abdomen during an ongoing dispute with a 17-year-old boy named Anton Cross. The incident occurred in the 1600 block of Maple Lane, Elgin. Timothy was taken to Presence Saint Joseph Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Anton Cross, who lived in the 300 block of Washington Street in Elgin, was charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder. He was held at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center on a $750,000 bond. The investigation revealed that Timothy and Anton had been neighbors and had an ongoing dispute. On the day of the shooting, Timothy was on electronic home monitoring and was taking out the garbage when he encountered Anton. Timothy's father, Island Jones, witnessed the incident from their apartment window.
The case went to trial, and Anton Cross was found guilty of second-degree murder. The court sentenced him to a nine-year prison term and ordered him to pay restitution. The trial established that Timothy was unarmed at the time of the shooting, and the court ruled that Anton's belief in the need for deadly force was unreasonable.
Timothy's death was a significant loss to his family, friends, and the community. His funeral services were held on January 3, 2017, at Philadelphia Holiness Full Gospel Baptist Church in Elgin, and he was laid to rest at Bluff City Cemetery.
