Robert Glen Jones Jr.: The 1996 Arizona Murder Spree
Background
Robert Glen Jones Jr. was an American murderer responsible for seven killings committed during a violent series of armed robberies in Arizona in 1996. Born on December 25, 1969, Jones carried out six murders in Tucson with accomplice Scott Douglas Nordstrom before participating in a seventh killing in Phoenix with another man, Stephen Coats. Although Jones is sometimes described as a serial killer, the closely connected nature and short duration of the crimes have also caused him to be classified as a spree or mass murderer.
The murders took place between May and August 1996 and were driven primarily by robbery. Jones and his accomplices targeted businesses and a private residence, killing victims who could identify them or interfere with their attempts to steal money and property. The evidence presented during his prosecution showed that the victims were not killed during uncontrolled struggles. Several were deliberately positioned or forced to comply before being shot at close range.
The Moon Smoke Shop Murders
Jones and Scott Nordstrom began their known killing spree on May 30, 1996, at the Moon Smoke Shop in Tucson. Nordstrom's brother, David Nordstrom, accompanied them and served as the getaway driver. Jones and Scott entered the business armed with handguns and immediately began controlling the customers and employees inside.
Clarence "Chip" Odell III, a 47-year-old customer, was shot in the head by Jones. Jones also shot several employees who had been ordered to lie on the floor. One wounded employee survived, while another escaped from the building after hearing the gunfire. Scott Nordstrom pursued employee Thomas Hardman into a back area of the shop, forced him to lie facedown and shot him twice in the back of the head.
After the shootings, the attackers took money from a cash register and fled in the pickup truck driven by David Nordstrom. The robbery left two people dead and others injured or traumatized. Survivors were able to provide investigators with descriptions of the gunmen, but the identities of Jones and the Nordstrom brothers were not immediately established.
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