NC - McKenzie Sessoms, 11, murdered, Salemburg, 6 Sept 2013 *suspect in custody*

[Luckyzmom]

Thanks @Knox great point

 

[borndem]

That's a scary thought! But if they can't get a conviction he would walk anyway. At least this way if something comes to light in the future, they could take it to trial.
Seems far fetched, but in some of these cold cases thirty years later they nab the original suspect.

Thanks for the updates, @cuffem,

And good points, @Knox. Conviction is always the name of the game if there is enuff good, dependable and undeniable evidence. I guess there's not enuff of any of that to put him on trial. And risking a half-baked one and losing, as you stated, is the worst that could happen.
I'm hoping LE and the prosecutors will stay on this, but I'm not putting any hard money on it. SMH.
That sweet little girl had nowhere to turn, and no one to turn to, that night when things got unbearable for her. SMH. At least she's far from that horror now.
Just dammit.

 

[Boodles]

It’s heartbreaking that this case remains unresolved. That said, I think there’s more to her assault and murder than just the neighbor boy. I don’t think it will ever be known. McKenzie’s father died last year (age 61). One of the brothers is a habitual felon (currently in prison). The whole thing about the brothers having a party while this poor child was relegated to sleeping on the couch the night it happened just makes me cringe. RIP sweet girl. I’m so sorry this happened to you.

ETA: This and the Faith Hedgepeth murders remaining unsolved drives me crazy.

 

[borndem]

Agree, Boodles -- I think more happened that night than we will ever know -- and, cynically speaking, I guess we are better off not knowing if things there were worse. SMH. I do hope someone in that town is not willing to let this horror go unsolved, but again, no bets. Also hoping that whoever did bad things to that promising, sweet young girl, is having, and forever will have, a hard time sleeping at night.
What else is there to say but just dammit.

 

[Luckyzmom]

Amen @borndem . Great post !

 

[outcome]

It’s heartbreaking that this case remains unresolved. That said, I think there’s more to her assault and murder than just the neighbor boy. I don’t think it will ever be known. McKenzie’s father died last year (age 61). One of the brothers is a habitual felon (currently in prison). The whole thing about the brothers having a party while this poor child was relegated to sleeping on the couch the night it happened just makes me cringe. RIP sweet girl. I’m so sorry this happened to you.

ETA: This and the Faith Hedgepeth murders remaining unsolved drives me crazy.

May 9, 2014
"Jones was living with his grandfather in a house very close to the Sesssoms’ home at the time, but had since moved to adjoining Franklin County to live with his mother. Armed with DNA evidence, that is where the Sheriff’s office arrested him this week."

"The Sampson County sheriff said they have DNA evidence linking Jones to the crime. It's evidence his family plans to fight as he heads to arraignment."

"Eight months later, the Sampson County Sheriff's Office arrested Antonio Trey Jones, who lived nearby, citing DNA evidence and exhaustive interviews."

"Authorities said they arrested the suspect after using DNA evidence to match him to the crime."

Now SEVEN YEARS LATER..... Oh, boy, really?

June 8, 2021

"District Attorney Ernie Lee said Tuesday that the case against Jones had fallen apart. DNA actually didn't implicate Jones in the murder, Lee said, and a judge said Jones' statement to investigators couldn't be used as evidence at trial."

Is this a joke?

Here are some questions the Starke Family and Jones Family should be asking the Sampson County Sheriffs Department and the District Attorney's Office. Hopefully, friends and relatives of these two families should contact them and find out.

1. When was Antonio Jones actually cleared by DNA he was no longer a suspect?
7 years ago, 6 years ago, 5 years ago, etc...?
2. It took eight months to accuse Mr. Jones, but it took seven years to clear him. WHY SO LONG?
3. Was Antonio Jones a victim of "magic DNA"? Accused one minute and then not implicated the next.
4. Once Mr. Jones was named a suspect through a negative DNA match, did the sheriff's department stop looking for other suspects for seven years? If so why?
5. Since the investigation of Mr. Jones fell apart fast than a house of card, how exactly did break into the Sessoms' home during a party without being seen? The front door was locked so did he stroll past 13 people on a small back porch and no one saw him. Is he a Ninja?
6. With this self incriminating statement by the DA and the sheriffs dept. concerning Mr. Jones accused by DNA and cleared by DNA in seven years, how does this affect current Sampson County sexual assault cases with DNA samples taken during the investigations? Who do you believe?
7. Since DNA cleared Mr. Jones in this case, who out of the 15 people at the Sessoms party that night is responsible for McKenzie's death?
8. What is so significant in this "mystery party attendee" that cause an investigation to stall for seven years? Why are 14 people covering for this man?

 

[borndem]

May 9, 2014
"Jones was living with his grandfather in a house very close to the Sesssoms’ home at the time, but had since moved to adjoining Franklin County to live with his mother. Armed with DNA evidence, that is where the Sheriff’s office arrested him this week."

"The Sampson County sheriff said they have DNA evidence linking Jones to the crime. It's evidence his family plans to fight as he heads to arraignment."

"Eight months later, the Sampson County Sheriff's Office arrested Antonio Trey Jones, who lived nearby, citing DNA evidence and exhaustive interviews."

"Authorities said they arrested the suspect after using DNA evidence to match him to the crime."

Now SEVEN YEARS LATER..... Oh, boy, really?

June 8, 2021

"District Attorney Ernie Lee said Tuesday that the case against Jones had fallen apart. DNA actually didn't implicate Jones in the murder, Lee said, and a judge said Jones' statement to investigators couldn't be used as evidence at trial."

Is this a joke?

Here are some questions the Starke Family and Jones Family should be asking the Sampson County Sheriffs Department and the District Attorney's Office. Hopefully, friends and relatives of these two families should contact them and find out.

1. When was Antonio Jones actually cleared by DNA he was no longer a suspect?
7 years ago, 6 years ago, 5 years ago, etc...?
2. It took eight months to accuse Mr. Jones, but it took seven years to clear him. WHY SO LONG?
3. Was Antonio Jones a victim of "magic DNA"? Accused one minute and then not implicated the next.
4. Once Mr. Jones was named a suspect through a negative DNA match, did the sheriff's department stop looking for other suspects for seven years? If so why?
5. Since the investigation of Mr. Jones fell apart fast than a house of card, how exactly did break into the Sessoms' home during a party without being seen? The front door was locked so did he stroll past 13 people on a small back porch and no one saw him. Is he a Ninja?
6. With this self incriminating statement by the DA and the sheriffs dept. concerning Mr. Jones accused by DNA and cleared by DNA in seven years, how does this affect current Sampson County sexual assault cases with DNA samples taken during the investigations? Who do you believe?
7. Since DNA cleared Mr. Jones in this case, who out of the 15 people at the Sessoms party that night is responsible for McKenzie's death?
8. What is so significant in this "mystery party attendee" that cause an investigation to stall for seven years? Why are 14 people covering for this man?

It's a small town -- Lotsa relatives -- the town keeps to itself, as do many small towns.

About Salemburg, NC:
bbm
===========================
Salemburg is a town in Sampson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 435 at the 2010 census. Salemburg is located on N.C. 242 between U.S. Highway 421 and N.C. 24, 12 miles west of Clinton, 20 miles west of Interstate 40, and 20 miles east of Interstate 95. Wikipedia
===========================
Police Departments
Population Served:
500
Number of Officers:
7
---------------------------
Source:
Salemburg Police Department - Salemburg, North Carolina
============================
County LE:
Served by the Sampson County Sheriff's Office in Clinton, NC
============================
(I couldn't find any info on how many persons were employed as LE in Sampson County.)

 

[outcome]

September 5, 2013.

Partying. Such an innocuous word. As benign as it gets. To the average layperson it is a figure of speech. A vernacular term said everyday, in every language, throughout the globe. But its usage is usually apparent. Hmm. The media has been such a wealth of information..

The middle brother stated "he went back on the back porch to join "2" two friends and continue "partying"". Partying? Amongst three people? Possible. The term "hanging out" would have been a better choice than "partying" when dealing with just three people, but I digress.

The older brother stated he got up to tell those on the porch to turn down the music. The music was playing so loud amongst three people that someone inside had to come outside and admonish them to turn it down? On a warm, clear September night , light breeze, doors and windows closed, air conditioning system running? Interesting.

Three people talking amongst themselves would be talking about the same subject I would surmise. Were these three conversing loudly enough to hear each other above the current volume of the music? Music so loud it penetrated the walls of an enclosed house with a running air conditioning? Odd....

So again, referring back to articles from eight years ago. Just can't beat historical records. Three people on the porch or twelve people? Where did these numbers come from? Three people? Why use the word "partying" for three individuals? Three people? Why was the music so loud you would have had to yell during your conversations? So loud it was keeping people from their evening slumber? Where did the number 12 come from?

3? Good question
12? Good question.

I wonder why such a deviation. Hmmm? I sarcastically have no idea.

A shattered mirror looks disorganized. Confusing. Look closely at the lines between individual pieces of glass. Everything falls into place...

Twelve people would explain many things. Like twelve broken pieces in a mirror. Put them together you have a whole, but a whole what

 

[outcome]

September 5, 2013.

Partying. Such an innocuous word. As benign as it gets. To the average layperson it is a figure of speech. A vernacular term said everyday, in every language, throughout the globe. But its usage is usually apparent. Hmm. The media has been such a wealth of information..

The middle brother stated "he went back on the back porch to join "2" two friends and continue "partying"". Partying? Amongst three people? Possible. The term "hanging out" would have been a better choice than "partying" when dealing with just three people, but I digress.

The older brother stated he got up to tell those on the porch to turn down the music. The music was playing so loud amongst three people that someone inside had to come outside and admonish them to turn it down? On a warm, clear September night , light breeze, doors and windows closed, air conditioning system running? Interesting.

Three people talking amongst themselves would be talking about the same subject I would surmise. Were these three conversing loudly enough to hear each other above the current volume of the music? Music so loud it penetrated the walls of an enclosed house with a running air conditioning? Odd....

So again, referring back to articles from eight years ago. Just can't beat historical records. Three people on the porch or twelve people? Where did these numbers come from? Three people? Why use the word "partying" for three individuals? Three people? Why was the music so loud you would have had to yell during your conversations? So loud it was keeping people from their evening slumber? Where did the number 12 come from?

3? Good question
12? Good question.

I wonder why such a deviation. Hmmm? I sarcastically have no idea.

A shattered mirror looks disorganized. Confusing. Look closely at the lines between individual pieces of glass. Everything falls into place...

Twelve people would explain many things. Like twelve broken pieces in a mirror. Put them together you have a whole, but a whole what

 

[outcome]

September 5, 2013.

Partying. Such an innocuous word. As benign as it gets. To the average layperson it is a figure of speech. A vernacular term said everyday, in every language, throughout the globe. But its usage is usually apparent. Hmm. The media has been such a wealth of information..

The middle brother stated "he went back on the back porch to join "2" two friends and continue "partying"". Partying? Amongst three people? Possible. The term "hanging out" would have been a better choice than "partying" when dealing with just three people, but I digress.

The older brother stated he got up to tell those on the porch to turn down the music. The music was playing so loud amongst three people that someone inside had to come outside and admonish them to turn it down? On a warm, clear September night , light breeze, doors and windows closed, air conditioning system running? Interesting.

Three people talking amongst themselves would be talking about the same subject I would surmise. Were these three conversing loudly enough to hear each other above the current volume of the music? Music so loud it penetrated the walls of an enclosed house with a running air conditioning? Odd....

So again, referring back to articles from eight years ago. Just can't beat historical records. Three people on the porch or twelve people? Where did these numbers come from? Three people? Why use the word "partying" for three individuals? Three people? Why was the music so loud you would have had to yell during your conversations? So loud it was keeping people from their evening slumber? Where did the number 12 come from?

3? Good question
12? Good question.

I wonder why such a deviation. Hmmm? I sarcastically have no idea.

A shattered mirror looks disorganized. Confusing. Look closely at the lines between individual pieces of glass. Everything falls into place...

Twelve people would explain many things. Like twelve broken pieces in a mirror. Put them together you have a whole, but a whole what

 

[omega_project]

It's been a while since I've followed this case. What do you all think, did they have the wrong guy?

Yes, they had the wrong guy all along.

Updated with video Seven years after Sampson girl's death, charges dropped against lone suspect :: WRAL.com

There is no one else linked to this case.
My opinion is they did not have enough or adequate DNA to link him and the confession was tossed because of no Miranda rights.
You do not keep someone on house arrest for 7 years unless you strongly think he is guilty.
This will not be the last time we hear about him imo.

LE either botched the investigation or they are hiding something. I read the coroner's autopsy investigation in this case and the DA and Thornton's narrative never fit. The death occurred between midnight and 4:30 am. Who would commit a rape in murder in the living room with the father and brother in the next rooms?
What happened to dozen party goers that night?
Why wasn't the DNA found compared against everyone at the party?
Why would a 14 yr old sneak into a house between midnight and 4:30 am to assault the victim without fear of being caught?
Why is it that Judge Seaton and DA Lee, Campbell Law School Classmates, allowed the Thornton to keep Jones as a suspect for 7 years?
Why did the Sampson County CPS place this child in a volatile environment? Why haven't they been investigated for not following up on this child's placement in this home?
Why doesn't the SCSD test the examples through familial or genealogy DNA processes?
What are the afraid to find?
Who is the Sessoms family protecting?

I'm looking for people to brainstorm this case with.

 

[Boodles]

Like someone said above, it’s a tiny little town and everyone’s related. Meth is rampant there. Sorry to say, but from what I’ve researched, it’s a cesspool of a place. Of course there are good people, but I think Sampson County does it’s fair share of keeping the jails & prisons in business.
I called the sheriffs office a few weeks after this happened. The “detective” in charge of the case was out that week, there was no one else to talk to. He was either on vacay or in “training.” I remember thinking that where I work, when something big hits the fan, everything else, including vacations and training, fall by the wayside.

All I could think of was what a bunch of corrupt, ineffective bunch of losers, probably covering for their cousin’s wife’s ex-husband’s son, or some such twisted scenario.
I wouldn’t trust anyone there with anything.

It makes me sick what happened to this child, removed from a meth-head home into another home where at least one resident had been rumored to have done multiple, but one really bad, deed.

“Partying“ with a 12 year old girl sleeping on the couch amidst a bunch of drunk guys, on a school night, no less? This child didn’t even have a private bedroom in a house full of men.
I suspect a certain person, but have no evidence except local gossip and a crime record which includes assault of a woman, AWDW, among many other things. I hope karma takes care of the who committed these acts (and who worked the system to point toward someone else who was a convenient scapegoat).

JMO, MOO, and all that. I hope that DA, sheriff and any other complicit characters get what they deserve In the end, along with the rapist murderer of that poor child. But then, I’m just rehashing things I’ve said over the past many years about this case.

 

[otto]

Did I understand correctly that she was placed in this home with a few teenage boys shortly before she died, and there was no parental supervision? Now it's uncertain whether any of those boys was involved - while three of them were on the deck partying when it happened?

521 Hairr Lane


The house looks big enough for 12 partying people, including 3 on the deck. Were there 12 people partying or 12 people on the property?



I'm not familiar with this, trying to get up to speed.

 

[omega_project]

Agree, Boodles -- I think more happened that night than we will ever know -- and, cynically speaking, I guess we are better off not knowing if things there were worse. SMH. I do hope someone in that town is not willing to let this horror go unsolved, but again, no bets. Also hoping that whoever did bad things to that promising, sweet young girl, is having, and forever will have, a hard time sleeping at night.
What else is there to say but just dammit.

Did I understand correctly that she was placed in this home with a few teenage boys shortly before she died, and there was no parental supervision? Now it's uncertain whether any of those boys was involved - while three of them were on the deck partying when it happened?

521 Hairr Lane
View attachment 347416

The house looks big enough for 12 partying people, including 3 on the deck. Were there 12 people partying or 12 people on the property?

View attachment 347417

I'm not familiar with this, trying to get up to speed.

Hey Otto,

Yes, this case has been a Sh** Show. No one, and I mean No one talks about this case. For several months last year, I made numerous comments in the local paper, Sampson Independent about this case. I presented information about DNA testing facilities, DOJ grants which pay for DNA testing and also offered theories about McKenzie's murder. Not a peep. I have even acquired the investigative autopsy of this child and it's heartbreaking and horrific. I would love to reach out to family members and see if I can offer some assistance or even find someone local who wants to talk about this case.

 

[omega_project]

Like someone said above, it’s a tiny little town and everyone’s related. Meth is rampant there. Sorry to say, but from what I’ve researched, it’s a cesspool of a place. Of course there are good people, but I think Sampson County does it’s fair share of keeping the jails & prisons in business.
I called the sheriffs office a few weeks after this happened. The “detective” in charge of the case was out that week, there was no one else to talk to. He was either on vacay or in “training.” I remember thinking that where I work, when something big hits the fan, everything else, including vacations and training, fall by the wayside.

All I could think of was what a bunch of corrupt, ineffective bunch of losers, probably covering for their cousin’s wife’s ex-husband’s son, or some such twisted scenario.
I wouldn’t trust anyone there with anything.

It makes me sick what happened to this child, removed from a meth-head home into another home where at least one resident had been rumored to have done multiple, but one really bad, deed.

“Partying“ with a 12 year old girl sleeping on the couch amidst a bunch of drunk guys, on a school night, no less? This child didn’t even have a private bedroom in a house full of men.
I suspect a certain person, but have no evidence except local gossip and a crime record which includes assault of a woman, AWDW, among many other things. I hope karma takes care of the who committed these acts (and who worked the system to point toward someone else who was a convenient scapegoat).

JMO, MOO, and all that. I hope that DA, sheriff and any other complicit characters get what they deserve In the end, along with the rapist murderer of that poor child. But then, I’m just rehashing things I’ve said over the past many years about this case.

Hi Boodles,

Use this

N.C. OCME Document Request Form (for deaths since 1976)

 

[omega_project]

Did I understand correctly that she was placed in this home with a few teenage boys shortly before she died, and there was no parental supervision? Now it's uncertain whether any of those boys was involved - while three of them were on the deck partying when it happened?

521 Hairr Lane
View attachment 347416

The house looks big enough for 12 partying people, including 3 on the deck. Were there 12 people partying or 12 people on the property?

View attachment 347417

I'm not familiar with this, trying to get up to speed.

 

[Boodles]

Thank you omega! Pages 2, 4, 6, and 8 are missing from the pdf. Could you please repost? Not sure what went wrong. I downloaded 2x.

 

[PorkyPotPie]

Why use the word "partying" for three individuals?

FWIW, "partying" is also slang for doing drugs. Not saying there wasn't also an actual party, but it would make complete sense to describe oneself and two other people as partying if what you really meant was getting high.

On the topic of meth, a common side effect among users is sexual arousal. I have seen some men describe actually sustaining injury to their genitals from prolonged periods of masturbation due to this effect. There's also a whole thing in the gay community where men meet up to "party" and proceed to take meth and go on a sex binge for days.

If people were doing meth at the party, and the perpetrator was among them, he may have acted on preexisting pedophilic urges on an impulse due to an enormously heightened libido. And due to being a despicable waste of space, of course.

 

[bleuboy]

im also wondering why pages of the autopsy are missing. On the last page it says no sperm detected. I wonder if DNA was found there. It also says she was sexually assaulted by her uncle when 7 years old. What i find most horrific is the autopsy says the asphyxia happened at a different time than the sexual assault "the sexual element appears to have occurred within hours of the death but was not concurrent with the lethal activity." I always imagined the suspect smothering her during the sexual assault, while keeping her from screaming. This is much worse.

 

[dotr]

Dec 28 2023 rbbm

Man exonerated of girl's murder files lawsuit against Sampson County sheriff

A man has filed a federal lawsuit more than 10 years after he was arrested for the rape and murder of an 11-year-old Sampson County girl.

abc11.com

''McKenzie Sessoms was killed Sept. 6, 2013, and Trey Jones was charged with her murder in 2014 and spent five years in jail.

Those charges were voluntarily dismissed in March 2021 after DNA evidence exonerated him of the crime.

The lawsuit, filed Dec. 19, claims Jones, then 14 and a special-needs student, was coerced to confess to the crime. Jones and McKenzie were neighbors right outside Salemburg at the time of the killing.

The suit also claims that Sampson County Sheriff Jimmy Thornton, along with two deputies and an SBI agent, violated Jones' civil rights.

No one else has ever been charged with McKenzie's murder.''