Police arrest one in death of Cape man

Cape Girardeau police have arrested one suspect late Monday in connection with the shooting death of Billy Jones Jr. and say more arrests are likely.

Jones, 30, of Cape Girar-deau, was shot twice -- once each in the arm and chest -- Sunday afternoon while sitting in a car at the parking lot of the National Guard Armory on the corner of Independence and East Rodney, police said.

A suspect, who fired from another car, used a small-caliber handgun. Jones died at 2:47 a.m. Monday at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

The Cape Girardeau-Bollinger County Major Case Squad was activated Sunday to investigate. Detectives worked with members of the Illinois State Police and the Federal Public Housing Task Force and located the suspect shortly before 6 p.m. Monday. Officials would not release the suspect's name or where he was found, but did confirm he was from Cape Girardeau.

"Would it be safe to say the victim and one of the suspects were acquaintances? Yes," said Sgt. Rick Schmidt.

Schmidt said formal charges are pending against the suspect. Attempts to contact Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle at his home and office late Monday were unsuccessful.

Jones had several addresses during the last few years, but he was identified by police as most recently living in an apartment at 3003 Themis. However, neighbors in the building said they were not aware of him living there.

At another address listed by police, 338 E. Cape Rock Dr., resident Will Harris said he knew the victim, but said he couldn't imagine anyone wanting to hurt Jones, who he described as easygoing.

"I kind of knew him from a couple of years ago," Harris said. "He was from Mississippi. He moved here about four months ago, but I knew him before that because we were dating sisters."

Jones was a convicted sex offender who pleaded guilty in 1996 to child molestation. He was later sentenced to six months in county jail after violating the terms of his probation. Jones also pleaded guilty in 2000 to possession of marijuana.

Though officials now have a known address for Jones, his name was not on the Cape Girardeau Sheriff's Department's posted list of registered sex offenders, which is a requirement of his conviction. One of Jones' previous addresses turned out to be a church parking lot in the 300 block of North Ellis.

mwells@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 160