MS MS - Lester Jones, 26, Starkville, 11 Jan 2010

[theforgotten]

I find myself thinking about Lester and his family often. It's been too many years. I pray that they get the answers they need and deserve!

 

[Quill]

Bumping for Lester. His family deserves to know what happened.

 

[theforgotten]

……………...Bumping for Lester!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DS2021]

Bump

 

[Quill]

Lester's case might be a good candidate for a cold case podcast or tv show. If anyone has any contacts to share it with, that would be a good start.

His family deserves to know what happened to him.

 

[9glenn9]

Where is LJ?!

 

[Quill]

BUMPING for LESTER!

 

[9glenn9]

Lester, you are not forgotten!

 

[renaebri]

Was there any info about what direction he took out of the gas station?
Chaos Divers is going to look for him soon, with sonar! Will get some answers, at least the places he isn't found.

 

[Quill]

Was there any info about what direction he took out of the gas station?
Chaos Divers is going to look for him soon, with sonar! Will get some answers, at least the places he isn't found.

This is wonderful news! I pray that his mother can have some peace.

 

[9glenn9]

Bumping for Lester!!

 

[Quill]

Was there any info about what direction he took out of the gas station?
Chaos Divers is going to look for him soon, with sonar! Will get some answers, at least the places he isn't found.

Do we have any new info about Chaos Divers and any findings?

 

[renaebri]

No findings as far as I know, they haven't posted about that search but I believe they did go there already.

 

[Quill]

No findings as far as I know, they haven't posted about that search but I believe they did go there already.

I don't follow them. Do you know what body of water was searched? The reservoir is not really located too close to the gas station he stopped at and if I recall is not on the way to his destination. Besides that the reservoir is a 33,000 acre body of water. The Pearl river would be along the path that I recalled him being on, but if he stayed on the main highway (25) barriers are sound and I can't imagine him going in there without there being obvious evidence. Just trying to wrap my head around this.

 

[renaebri]

I don't follow them. Do you know what body of water was searched? The reservoir is not really located too close to the gas station he stopped at and if I recall is not on the way to his destination. Besides that the reservoir is a 33,000 acre body of water. The Pearl river would be along the path that I recalled him being on, but if he stayed on the main highway (25) barriers are sound and I can't imagine him going in there without there being obvious evidence. Just trying to wrap my head around this.

I asked earlier if they'll have a video of his search (they will) and also if they searched the pearl river, which they didn't this trip. I don't know what they did search though. Pearl river was my guess because it's on his path but yeah..

 

[VaYank5150]

I am not familiar with the area. Based on Google maps, there are three distinct routes Mr. Jones could have taken to get to Jackson. 25W, 468S or US 20. Any ideas as to which route he would have taken?

 

[9glenn9]

I am not familiar with the area. Based on Google maps, there are three distinct routes Mr. Jones could have taken to get to Jackson. 25W, 468S or US 20. Any ideas as to which route he would have taken?

I agree with you.

We can assume that the Sprint Mart in Flowood where LJ was recorded on CCTV back in 2010 has not changed its location since.

LJ may have taken the US 20 to go to Jackson. Before getting there, one must cross a bridge over the Pearl River.
With the MS 468, LJ would have traveled right by the Crystal Lake here and here. Then, he would have crossed a different section of the Pearl River on that bridge.
Taking the MS 25 would lead him to cross the Pearl River on this other bridge.

Back in April 2022, I asked Adventures with Purpose if they could look into this missing person's case. At the time, their team stated that they would be taking a break from long distance traveling for a bit (no updates since then). Today, I contacted Chaos Divers asking if their team could look into LJ's disappearance just like @renaebri did several months ago I believe.

 

[Quill]

I am not familiar with the area. Based on Google maps, there are three distinct routes Mr. Jones could have taken to get to Jackson. 25W, 468S or US 20. Any ideas as to which route he would have taken?

Hello @VaYank5150 I am very familiar with this area. HWY 25 brings you from the Starkville are into the Jackson area. Its is a very rural highway until you come into Rankin County. He would have driven through a really nice and well known shopping area before getting to the Sprintmart. Hwy 25 is locally known as Lakeland Drive once you get into the city of Flowood where the shopping area is. I cannot imagine any scenario where he would take 468S if he was trying to get to Jackson. That seems highly unlikely to me as it would be very much off the track. Now, the others would depend on which area of Jackson he was trying to get to. He could have taken Lakeland Drive straight on until it ends and runs right into N. State St. In Jackson. The more common thing to do, of course depending on where he was going, would have been to get on I-55 where he could have gone south or north. My guess would be going north most likely and from there he could have also gotten off on I-220 to go to west Jackson (pretty dangerous area) or if he went south on I-55 he would have likely gotten off on I-20 west to go to south Jackson, which is also pretty darn dangerous today and I imagine it was getting that way in 2010. All of these routes would have taken him across the Pearl river, but I have never heard of a car going over there. It is a very highly traveled multi-lane highway and the bridge is well secured.

*note that I-220 and I-20 are two different interstate highways.
I believe it is more likely some foul play as described by the poster I have quoted below.

I could find no searches of the water. There were aerial and land searches though I do not know what areas were searched nor how thoroughly they were searched. The first logical thought to my mind was an accident. If he took Old Brandon Rd...suddenly realized he had forgotten his cell phone...and went wide to his right to make a u-turn there looks to be areas on Google maps that show there is potential for a car to go into the water. He may well have been tired, was certainly dealing with a highly emotional situation, and forgetting his cell could have evoked a frustrated...unaware of surroundings ...reaction. He was not reported missing for 9 days....searches took place days after the report...so depending on the water's depth etc...car could have sunk out of sight. Lord knows such accidents are not unheard of re missing persons.

But then I listened to his mother on blogtalk radio. She appears to hold a strong belief that foul play is involved. That is when I delved into the reason Lester was going to Jackson. Right off it is one of those scenarios that takes one aback a bit. A young woman is murdered...3 days later a young man goes missing....a couple days later a man with a prior conviction for manslaughter is arrested for larceny involving goods stolen from the murdered woman's apartment...then arrested for her murder. Co-incidental..?? Does make one take another look at the case

Another aspect that causes pause is Lester's mother saying that the frat brother Lester was to visit claimed in 2 interviews with LE that he did not speak on the phone with Lester the evening Lester disappeared. However Lester's cell records, when obtained, showed that this frat brother and Lester spoke for some 8 minutes that evening...in the 3rd interview with LE he did change his story and acknowledge that he spoke with Lester that evening. This information put a different slant on the case and is what led me to question if the UID had been ruled out for Lester.

 

[mrwilde]

The fact that he left his cell phone behind and then got in his car and drove off leads me to think he didn't want to be found, honestly. If he is alive, he's aged into his 40's. Here are some possible looks he may be sporting, with a bit of weight gain assumed for the years.

 

[mrwilde]

A few more: