The bench trial of former Louisiana, Missouri, police chief William Jones opened Monday in St. Charles County, with prosecutors telling the judge they intend to prove Jones stole evidence and tampered with drugs after an October 2022 overdose that left a man dead in his apartment. The first day ran through the morning and into the afternoon as witnesses took the stand and prosecutors began outlining their theory of the case. Jones waived his right to a jury and is facing second-degree murder along with related drug and evidence-tampering charges tied to the 2022 deaths.
Prosecution zeroes in on missing meth and altered drug exhibits
Prosecutors said they called seven witnesses on Monday and rolled out dozens of exhibits, including video and drug-test materials, in an effort to show Jones removed narcotics from the police evidence locker and tried to hide testing kits before deputies arrived. According to KHQA, the state told the court that a half-pound bag of methamphetamine and other items were missing from department evidence and that the bench trial was scheduled to last three days.
Overdose call in 2022 set the case in motion
The charges trace back to an Oct. 18, 2022, call to a home in the 2300 block of Kentucky Street in Louisiana, where deputies found 24-year-old Gabriel Thone dead in a bedroom and another man in respiratory distress who was revived with naloxone, according to local reporting. A Pike County grand jury later returned an indictment charging Jones with second-degree murder and related offenses, as previously reported by the AP.
Deputy describes drugs tucked into furniture
Pike County deputy Gina Calvin testified about the scene and the evidence recovered, telling the court she "found some in the loveseat" and that suspected narcotics were discovered under furniture and in crevices in the bedroom area. Her account formed part of the prosecution’s early presentation on Monday, which also featured seized opioid testing kits and other physical evidence. That testimony was described in court and summarized in local coverage of the trial’s first day.
Defense says photos came late and overdose was not on Jones
The defense countered that some photos of suspected drugs were taken days after the incident and argued that Jones had no role in the fatal overdose. His attorneys told the judge Jones’s involvement was limited to helping his then-girlfriend during a period of withdrawal, and they urged the court to look closely at the timing and condition of the physical evidence.
What a second-degree murder charge means in Missouri
Under Missouri law, second-degree murder includes deaths that occur during the commission of a felony, a provision prosecutors say applies here because an underlying trafficking offense is alleged. State statute and commentary classify second-degree murder as a Class A felony, which can carry a potential sentence of decades in prison if the judge finds the legal elements are met. The statute is available in the Missouri Revised Statutes.
Bench trial continues as town keeps watch
The bench trial is scheduled to continue with more witnesses and further exhibit review in the coming days, and the judge, not a jury, will decide the case at the close of evidence. The proceedings have drawn renewed attention in the small Mississippi River town and are expected to stay in the regional spotlight as testimony unfolds.
