A Washington man has been convicted of murdering the mother of his children after prosecutors said he shot her more than 20 times while eight kids were inside the apartment. A D.C. Superior Court jury found 38-year-old Wonell Jones Jr. guilty on all counts after a brief multi-day trial. He is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2026.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Jones was convicted of first-degree murder while armed, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Prosecutors said the attack, which took place on July 19, 2022, was captured in part on surveillance video and backed up by forensic evidence. They told jurors Jones fired more than 20 rounds and used two different guns during the shooting.
The Metropolitan Police Department said in a 2022 statement that Jones returned to the apartment after a grocery run with one of victim Audora Williams’s young sons, got into an argument with her in a bedroom, then opened fire. Surveillance footage showed him fleeing the building on foot, authorities said. Investigators said Jones fled to Florida after the killing and was arrested there on August 29, 2022, before being extradited back to D.C. in October 2022. Court testimony showed that MPD investigators recovered a pistol, a magazine and shell casings from inside the unit.
Children in the Home
Prosecutors told jurors that eight children were inside the apartment when the shooting started: three of Jones’s children, three of Williams’s and two the pair shared, according to DC Witness. Some of the kids were sent to a bedroom just minutes before the gunfire.
A juvenile who was about 10 years old at the time testified that he heard gunshots and saw the room "light up" before Jones left the unit, DC Witness reported. Prosecutors said the emotional fallout and trauma for the children who were there will likely follow them for years.
Prosecutors' Statement
"Jones flouted a protective order, put in place to keep Audora Williams and her children safe, and proceeded to murder Williams, with her children just feet away," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said in a statement, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors said jurors were shown surveillance footage, forensic photographs and testimony from investigators and medical examiners.
Charges and Next Steps
The trial began on July 9 and lasted several days before jurors began deliberating. They took less than 24 hours to return a unanimous guilty verdict on all counts, DC Witness reported. Jones’s defense team told the court they plan to file a motion for a new trial and asked to delay sentencing, but the judge kept the October 30, 2026, sentencing date on the calendar.
Support and Resources
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit the website for 24/7 support. Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
