GA - Donald Jones, 15, Homicide, gone to Grandma’s, Savannah, 19 Sept 2020

[steff13]

I didn't realize his remains were skeletal. The article says skeletal remains were found on 9/19. Didn't mom say she last saw him on 9/18? I know it's hot and humid in Georgia, but that's an exceptionally short time to decompose to skeletal remians.

 

[oviedo]

Savannah Police ask for help locating missing teen | News Break
nothing new -
snipped
by: WSAV Staff

Posted: Oct 2, 2020 / 08:23 AM EDT / Updated: Oct 2, 2020 / 08:28 AM EDT

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – Remains found in a wooded area in Chatham County less than two weeks ago have been identified as those of a missing Savannah teen.

According to the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD), autopsy results on Thursday confirmed the remains discovered off of Oriole Drive are those of 15-year-old Donald Jones.

Detectives are investigating the case as a suspected homicide.

Donald was reported missing on Monday, Sept. 21, two days after the remains were found by people walking to a pond.
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I wish LE would give us an update.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Savannah Police ask for help locating missing teen | News Break
nothing new -
snipped
by: WSAV Staff

Posted: Oct 2, 2020 / 08:23 AM EDT / Updated: Oct 2, 2020 / 08:28 AM EDT

CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) – Remains found in a wooded area in Chatham County less than two weeks ago have been identified as those of a missing Savannah teen.

According to the Chatham County Police Department (CCPD), autopsy results on Thursday confirmed the remains discovered off of Oriole Drive are those of 15-year-old Donald Jones.

Detectives are investigating the case as a suspected homicide.

Donald was reported missing on Monday, Sept. 21, two days after the remains were found by people walking to a pond.
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I wish LE would give us an update.

Savannah is TERRIBLE with updates on missing/murdered people. They need a serious PR overhaul, imo.

 

[JudgeJoe]

I didn't realize his remains were skeletal. The article says skeletal remains were found on 9/19. Didn't mom say she last saw him on 9/18? I know it's hot and humid in Georgia, but that's an exceptionally short time to decompose to skeletal remians.

I think “skeletal” was a clickbait headliner. Idk. Timeline way off if true. Jmo.

 

[oviedo]

I think “skeletal” was a clickbait headliner. Idk. Timeline way off if true. Jmo.

I agree - if anyone has time to contact a local reporter that may help bring attention to our boy? I can this weekend if no one can before then

 

[JudgeJoe]

I agree - if anyone has time to contact a local reporter that may help bring attention to our boy? I can this weekend if no one can before then

That’s awesome! If you want a back-up, I’m in.

 

[Savemecastiel]

Bumping

 

[Lusitana]

I'm a bit confused. Donald was found on September 19, but he was only reported missing on the 21st. So how did his body get found? Who found him and raised the alarm?

 

[JudgeJoe]

I'm a bit confused. Donald was found on September 19, but he was only reported missing on the 21st. So how did his body get found? Who found him and raised the alarm?

According to media reports, on Sept 19, 2020 “people found human remains while walking in a wooded area off Oriole Drive in Chatham County”.

So LE started with unidentified remains. Then a missing persons case was opened by the mom. Then forensics id’d the remains as that of missing 15 yo Donald Jones.

He‘d become a victim of homicide before he was reported missing.
Human remains identified as missing Georgia teen

 

[elliefant]

Do they usually describe a dead body as “remains” only a day or so after death? It implies greater decomposition than that to me, or else an extremely gruesome death/disposal.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Do they usually describe a dead body as “remains” only a day or so after death? It implies greater decomposition than that to me, or else an extremely gruesome death/disposal.

I think so. Last week our neighbor’s employee died in a semi truck while on his mandatory DOT 34 hr break after 70 hr workweek. Since he was on break, he was not discovered missing until 40 hours after death. In the hot FL sun, the decomp was so bad, that the truck is totaled. No parts from that cab can be salvaged because that odor will never come out. The heat level in Savannah is only slightly less than central FL. So yes, decomposition can be rapid and extreme. Imo, “remains” is the more respectful term? Guessing that’s why it’s used.

 

[Lusitana]

According to media reports, on Sept 19, 2020 “people found human remains while walking in a wooded area off Oriole Drive in Chatham County”.

So LE started with unidentified remains. Then a missing persons case was opened by the mom. Then forensics id’d the remains as that of missing 15 yo Donald Jones.

He‘d become a victim of homicide before he was reported missing.
Human remains identified as missing Georgia teen

That is so sad. Poor kid.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Bear with me... I’m going back in time here... The articles below were published when DJ’s remains were first found- but not ID’d. They were initially linked on another Savannah, GA missing person’s thread.

@steifel & @oviedo - I was wrong- the remains were skeletal. Which makes this timeline VERY weird.

“The remains were initially found on Saturday, Sept. 19, according to officials. On Monday, investigators say cadaver dogs found more bones in the area that are likely linked to the bones found on Sept. 19.

“I can say that preliminary, we have identified some areas of interest on the remains that hopefully will aid us in identifying who the remains belong to,” Criminal Investigations Commander Captain Gene Harley said. The investigation is still ongoing.

If you have any information, you can anonymously call the Chatham County Police Department detectives at 912-651-4701, or Crime Stoppers at 912-234-2020.”
Human remains found off Oriole Drive in Savannah

Two days later, LE concluded the remains were male.
Chatham County Police: Skeletal remains found most likely those of a male

A week later, determined to be DJ.
Skeletal remains found identified as Savannah missing teen

My apologies if I have created confusion! How long does it take for remains to become skeletonized in a wooded Savannah heat and humidity? Idk

Seems there was quite a delay to report missing. And with COVID-19 shut-downs & schools closed since March, no one noticed? This is horrible.

 

[Angleterre]

THANK YOU for taking the time to compile these articles. This boy’s murder, and the lack of information/ interest in his case, really, really bothers me. He is so young. Yet old enough to know what’s going on. He deserves the world to mourn for him & seek justice for him as long as it takes. Where are all the outraged people who will fight for DJJ to be remembered? For whom the bell tolls!

You have voiced my exact thoughts Thank You This poor child , I have no more words...

 

[Angleterre]

I guess it could be up to us to advocate for him - JMO - I will set up a media maps and timeline thread

You are such a kind hearted amazing person, thank you and I will advocate alongside you as this poor boy deserves justice and his life to matter

 

[oviedo]

You are such a kind hearted amazing person, thank you and I will advocate alongside you as this poor boy deserves justice and his life to matter

Tomorrow I’m contacting some local news stations to find out if anyone is covering his story - I will report back
And thank you for stopping in for this young man @Angleterre its wonderful to see you here for our boy
JMO

 

[Timekeeper65]

@JudgeJoe and @steff13 - DJ left for his grandma’s home on 9/18. Remains are found on 9/19. He was reported missing on 9/21. So we’re looking at 24 hours... give or take a couple of hours.

No way the remains were skeletal in just one day. It’s been hot and humid but not that much. Unless the body was burned??

 

[Angleterre]

@JudgeJoe and @steff13 - DJ left for his grandma’s home on 9/18. Remains are found on 9/19. He was reported missing on 9/21. So we’re looking at 24 hours... give or take a couple of hours.

No way the remains were skeletal in just one day. It’s been hot and humid but not that much. Unless the body was burned??

Through my line of work, I have seen many dead bodies under both suspicious circumstances and actual murder victims and been present during umpteen Home Office Post Mortem’s ( autopsies) and I have NEVER known a body to decompose this quickly, even under conditions where their death has been in front of an open lit gas fire or the height of summer..... It’s 8-12 hours generally for Rigor processes to take place where the muscles lactate and the body stiffens and unstiffen’s ( I don’t know the scientific process and labels, just the basics ) and there’s no way this would go from a death to skeletal in 24 hours IMOO

 

[JudgeJoe]

@JudgeJoe and @steff13 - DJ left for his grandma’s home on 9/18. Remains are found on 9/19. He was reported missing on 9/21. So we’re looking at 24 hours... give or take a couple of hours.

No way the remains were skeletal in just one day. It’s been hot and humid but not that much. Unless the body was burned??

Unless DJ was gone- to grandma’s house or elsewhere- long before 9/18. The initial reports talk about finding bones- some scattered. So something off somewhere. Idk what yet.

 

[JudgeJoe]

Through my line of work, I have seen many dead bodies under both suspicious circumstances and actual murder victims and been present during umpteen Home Office Post Mortem’s ( autopsies) and I have NEVER known a body to decompose this quickly, even under conditions where their death has been in front of an open lit gas fire or the height of summer..... It’s 8-12 hours generally for Rigor processes to take place where the muscles lactate and the body stiffens and unstiffen’s ( I don’t know the scientific process and labels, just the basics ) and there’s no way this would go from a death to skeletal in 24 hours IMOO

So either he was missing way longer before a MP report was filed, or the reports of skeletal remains are incorrect. At first I thought the latter, because reports 3 weeks in had the skeletal headliner, but just said “remains” in the article. But then I reread initial report- when LE could not ID as male or female- and that report discussed cadaver dogs locating scattered bones. Links a couple posts back. So pieces not fitting together.