Inset, left to right: Cris L. Jones and Daniel Joslin (SBSO). Background: Aerial view of where authorities say they found Jones in Oregon (CCSO).
A chilling crime has emerged in California, where a 60-year-old man stands accused of murdering his roommate. The suspect allegedly concealed the victim in a shallow grave behind their shared residence. Subsequently, he purportedly masqueraded as the deceased, driving his truck to Oregon.
The suspect, Cris Leroy Jones, was apprehended this week and has now been charged with the murder of Daniel Joslin, aged 61, as confirmed by local authorities.
The developments unfolded in a news release issued by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect, Jones, was pinpointed as the primary suspect when investigators retrieved human remains from their Yucca Valley home’s yard on July 29.
The chain of events leading to the discovery began on July 3, when deputies from Morongo Basin were alerted to a missing persons case by Joslin’s concerned family and friends. They reported an absence of contact with him for approximately ten days, with the last known communication occurring on June 26.
Investigators initially received information that Joslin may have traveled to Oregon, but found no evidence confirming he had left California. The search for Joslin changed course on July 29, when detectives obtained a warrant for the residence he shared with Jones in the 58000 block of Carlyle Drive in Yucca Valley.
During the search, authorities “located human remains in a shallow grave in the backyard of the residence,” which were positively identified as Joslin. The discovery prompted a search for Jones, who was soon located in Oregon.
According to a Facebook post from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy patrolling a campsite near Harriet Lake in Mt. Hood National Forest on July 30 made contact with a man who identified himself as Daniel Joslin. The man said he was the registered owner of a nearby black Ford F-150 pickup truck.
The deputy checked the vehicle’s registration and license plate, which matched the name provided by the camper. However, a records check revealed that Joslin had recently been reported missing in California. Deputies then learned authorities were investigating Joslin’s homicide and that the person at the campsite might actually be Jones, the suspect in the killing.
Working together, authorities in California and Oregon “identified the individual contacted at the campsite on July 30 as Cris Jones,” saying he “had been using Daniel Joslin’s identity and was driving Joslin’s pickup truck.”
On Aug. 2, the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Air Unit located Jones in the forest and directed SWAT deputies to his location. Jones complied with commands and was taken into custody without incident, according to the sheriff’s office.
A knife and sheath recovered from Jones’ front pants pocket were seized as evidence, though authorities have not said whether the items are connected to Joslin’s death.
Jones was booked into the Clackamas County Jail. He remained in custody as of Friday pending extradition to California to face charges in Joslin’s killing.
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