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MURDER CHARGES FILED AGAINST TWO

By Ray King/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Wednesday, October 28, 2009 11:44 PM CDT

Murder charges were filed late Tuesday against two men involved in separate incidents in Jefferson County this year.

Prosecuting Attorney Steve Dalrymple charged Deaundre Cortez Jones, 26, with first-degree murder and being a felon in possession of a firearm stemming from an incident on June 21; and John Stennis Jackson, 45, with first-degree murder stemming from an incident at Wright on Aug. 12.

Jones was accused in the shooting death of Vincent Rouse Jr., 23, whose body was found in a ditch in the 7200 block of Middle Warren Road on June 21. Rouse was pronounced dead at the scene by Jefferson County Deputy Coroner John Lawson at 3:05 p.m.

He had been identified as a suspect in June and surrendered to deputies June 29 after his picture and story ran in The Commercial and had been held at the county detention center because Circuit Judge Berlin Jones (no relation) signed a court order revoking Deaundre Jones’ bond on several drug related charges that had been filed against him.

Jones pled guilty to those charges earlier this month and was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

His bond was set at $250,000 cash only and the case was assigned to 5th Division Circuit Court Judge Jodi Dennis.

Jackson was charged in the death of Norma Jean Sanders, 71, whose body was found inside a house she shared with Jackson at 8101 Highway 256 in Wright on Aug. 12. She was pronounced dead at the scene by Deputy Coroner Eric Belcher, who listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma.

He reportedly told sheriff’s deputies he hit Sanders in the head with a hammer after the two argued about his drinking.

The bond for Jackson was set at $250,000 and the case was assigned to 2nd Division Circuit Court Judge Rob Wyatt Jr.

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