On May 10, 2015, 38-year-old African American woman Frankie Smith was discovered deceased in a black Pontiac Grand Prix parked near Thomas and Latrobe in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago. Her body bore signs of severe trauma, including two black eyes, a fractured neck, a lacerated liver, and four broken ribs. The injuries were consistent with a violent assault, and her body was cold to the touch when found, indicating she had been dead for some time.
Neighbors of 37-year-old Phil Jones, Smith's boyfriend, reported hearing a violent altercation in his apartment on the morning of May 10, followed by sounds suggesting something heavy being dragged down the stairs. Later that day, Jones contacted a friend, expressing concern that his "girl" had consumed alcohol and was unresponsive in his car. When the friend checked the vehicle, they found Frankie Smith's lifeless body slumped in the front seat.
Subsequent investigations revealed bloodstains on the walls of Jones's apartment, a fingernail at the top of the stairs, and strands of hair, all suggesting a violent struggle had occurred within the residence. Jones allegedly confessed to an acquaintance that he had beaten Smith, giving her two black eyes, kicking her, and pulling out her hair, before placing her in the car and leaving her there.
An arrest warrant for Phil Jones was issued a week after the incident. Authorities discovered he had fled to Iowa, where he was apprehended and extradited back to Chicago. Jones had a prior conviction for domestic battery in 2011. During a court hearing, Cook County Judge Adam Bourgeois ordered Jones held without bail, stating, "You beat this woman to death. You are a danger to society."
