Tragedy struck in California when a grandmother mysteriously disappeared, failing to collect her grandchild. Days of relentless searching led to the heartbreaking discovery of her body inside her vehicle at a church parking lot, followed by shocking murder charges against her own son.
Emmanuel Wesley, 23, from Santa Ana, faces charges for the murder of his 61-year-old mother, Theresa Jones.
Prosecutors claim Wesley shot Jones twice in the back while she was in her car outside the Fullerton Police Department on July Fourth. He allegedly moved her to the passenger seat and drove off with her body.
The alarm bells first rang on July 7 when Jones was reported missing after she neither collected her grandchild nor responded to repeated phone calls from family, prosecutors stated.
The family remembered Theresa Jones as a vibrant 61-year-old with a magnetic personality, deeply committed to caring for her children and grandchildren. (GoFundMe)
Four days later, on July 11, officers found Jones’ body inside her vehicle, which had been abandoned in the parking lot of a church in Fullerton. Prosecutors allege she had been shot twice in the back.
Investigators say surveillance cameras captured the moments surrounding the killing.
Exterior of the Fullerton Police Department, where investigators say Theresa Jones was fatally shot before her vehicle was driven away. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
Video allegedly shows Jones pulling up outside the Fullerton Police Department around 2:46 p.m. on July 4 with Wesley riding in the back seat.
Authorities say Jones suddenly slumped over in the driver’s seat before Wesley climbed out of the back seat, pushed her body into the passenger seat, got behind the wheel and drove away.
“The death of any human being is a tragedy,” Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. “For someone to kill their own mother is another level of depravity. We will do everything we can to pursue justice for Ms. Jones and everyone who loved her.”
Theresa Jones is pictured holding a baby in a family photo shared after her death. (GoFundMe)
Jones’ family remembered the 61-year-old as a devoted Christian whose faith shaped every part of her life.
“She loved her family fiercely, always putting the needs of her children and grandchildren above her own,” the family wrote in a GoFundMe created to help cover funeral expenses. “To know Theresa was to love her.”
Loved ones described Jones as smart, funny and full of life, saying her vibrant personality earned her the nickname “Cardi B.”
The fundraiser recalls the family’s agonizing search after Jones unexpectedly failed to pick up her beloved grandchild, ending with the heartbreaking discovery of her body a week later.
“We want to honor the beautiful life Theresa lived and the immense love she poured into the world,” the family wrote. “The shock of her loss has left a profound, empty space in the hearts of everyone who loved her.”
Wesley has pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail in the Orange County Jail.
If convicted of murder and the firearm enhancement, prosecutors say he faces up to 50 years to life in prison.