A South Carolina man has been arrested after reportedly confessing to the murders of his five children, authorities say.
The Associated Press reports that Timothy Ray Jones, Jr. of Lexington County, S.C. was stopped at a police checkpoint close to Raleigh, Miss. on Saturday. After deducing that the 32-year-old was intoxicated, questioning and further investigation yielded disturbing discoveries:
Crumpton said Jones became agitated when a deputy questioned him about an odor of chemicals coming from the Cadillac Escalade he was driving. The deputy found what were believed to be chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine and a substance believed to be the street drug Spice, a form of synthetic marijuana, Crumpton said. A sheriff's office investigator was called and found what appeared to be bleach, muriatic acid, blood and possible body fluids, he said.
During a background check, police discovered that Jones was wanted in South Carolina "regarding a welfare concern of his children," who were on a national missing persons list, the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.
The children, ages one through eight, were reported missing by their mother last week. Authorities eventually discovered their bodies inside of plastic bags along a road in Camden, Ala. yesterday. Authorities suspect that Jones killed them in South Carolina, then drove to Alabama to bury them.
Neighbors told the Associated Press that Jones had long exhibited disturbing behavior, and Daniel Jones, district attorney for Smith County, Miss., revealed to NBC News that Timothy Jones was convinced his children were planning to kill him.
"I think he probably just went mad," Jones said.
In addition to child neglect, Jones is expected to face charges for the murders.
[via Associated Press and NBC News]
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