The Murder of Paul Jones & The Disappearance of Melody Jones
Episode 233
On the morning of May 5th, 1983, a horrified mother entered the home shared by her daughter and son-in-law and came upon a grisly scene. Her son-in-law, twenty year old Paul Jones, lay dead on the bedroom floor the victim of a stabbing. Despite her desperate search she could find no trace of her nineteen year old daughter, Melody.
Investigators with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office and the OSBI theorized that intruders had entered the couples' home during the night, murdered Paul and abducted Melody. Working with a severe lack of evidence, they struggled to put the pieces together and a lack of tips left them devoid of suspect.
More than forty years later, Paul's killer has never been identified and Melody has never been located. While some believe it to be a random crime, perpetrated by a sick and desperate criminal, others wonder if the truth might be found closer to home.
Sources:
07 May 1983, 17 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
14 May 1983, 30 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
16 May 1983, 7 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
27 May 1983, 22 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
27 May 1983, 167 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
27 May 1983, 168 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
24 Jun 1983, 1 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
24 Jun 1983, 2 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
04 Nov 2017, 6 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
Police still searching for answers 35 years after murder of Paul, disappearance of Melody Ann Jones
Melody Ann Jones: Murder Victim or Cold-Blooded Killer? : True Crime Diva
Community Frightened by Seemingly Motiveless Kidnappings and Murder
Melody Ann Jones – The Charley Project Blog
Digging Deeper into The Innocent Man: Connecting the Victims | by Kerri Rowland | Medium
09 May 1983, 2 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
Flowers for Paul Richard Jones - Find a Grave Memorial
Paul Richard Jones - LifeStory
Remains Match Missing Woman's, Official Says
Melody Jones, Missing from Oklahoma since 1983 | Justice for Native People
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Oklahoma cold case remains unsolved
Pottawatomie Co. Sheriff’s Investigators Reconnect With Tipster
OSBI, Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office Seeking New Information In Cold Case
Cold Case Featured In New OSBI Card Deck
Investigators search land for clues in 1983 cold case - News - The Shawnee News-Star - Shawnee, OK
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Randall “Butch” Garton Sr. (1940-2009) - Find a Grave Memorial
47374 Benson Park Rd - Google Maps
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35°17'22.9"N 96°48'57.1"W - Google Maps
Shawnee Twin Lakes | Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation
Shawnee Twin Lakes Camping | The Dyrt
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12 Apr 1983, 9 - The Daily Oklahoman at Newspapers.com
522 N Milt Phillips Ave to 47374 Benson Park Rd, Earlsboro, OK 74840 - Google Maps