Bio

Marvin Barnett Jones was born on July 21, 1965. Before the murder of Monique Stow, Jones had served in the United States Navy for eight years. Court records state that he served in responsible positions, received commendations, and was honorably discharged. He was also married and had two children, whom he and his wife supported. The trial court noted that Jones had grown up in a stable middle-class household with supportive and successful parents. The court also found no evidence that he had suffered material, spiritual, or moral deprivation during his upbringing.

At the time of the crime, Jones had no significant history of prior criminal activity listed as a mitigating factor in his capital sentencing. However, records also show that he had been unemployed for more than a year before the shooting. This financial situation became important in the case because the murder was connected to a debt dispute involving a used vehicle purchased from San Pablo Motors in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jones had bought a used car from Ezra Harold Stow, the owner of San Pablo Motors. After the vehicle developed engine problems, Jones returned it to Stow. The two men agreed that Stow would rebuild the engine for $1,500, with Jones paying $800 upfront and financing the remaining balance. When the repairs were completed, Jones did not pay the $800 as agreed. Instead, he wrote Stow a check for $4,200, covering both the remaining cost of the car and the repairs. At the time, Jones knew he had only $5 in his bank account and had already bounced six other checks.

After the check was dishonored, Ezra Stow asked his 22-year-old daughter, Monique Stow, to call Jones. Jones agreed to return to the dealership to resolve the matter. That meeting led to the shooting that killed Monique Stow and seriously injured her father.

Murder Story

On March 3, 1993, Marvin Barnett Jones went to San Pablo Motors in Jacksonville, Florida, after being contacted about the bounced $4,200 check he had written to Ezra Harold Stow. Jones arrived at the dealership at approximately 6:00 p.m. and entered the trailer where Stow’s office was located.

According to the prosecution’s evidence, Jones told Ezra Stow that he needed to get something from his car. He then returned to the trailer carrying a .25 caliber automatic pistol. Monique Stow was in the restroom washing her hands when Jones entered and shot her twice. One bullet struck her between the eyes, and another struck behind her left ear.

Ezra Stow heard the gunshots and reached for his own gun. Jones rushed into Stow’s office and aimed the pistol toward Stow’s face. As Jones fired, Stow raised his arm. The bullet passed through his forearm and grazed his head, causing him to collapse behind his desk and briefly lose consciousness. Jones then walked around the desk and shot Stow a second time in the face. That bullet entered Stow’s cheek, broke his jaw, and lodged in his neck.

After the shootings, Jones took the car papers from Stow’s desk and fled. Although Ezra Stow could not speak because of his injuries, he identified Jones before being taken to the hospital by writing and gesturing. Stow survived the attack, but Monique Stow died later that night.

Jones gave a different account at trial. He testified that Stow had agreed to hold the $4,200 check until Jones deposited enough money to cover it. Jones claimed that he brought Stow $4,200 in cash on March 3, but Stow became angry and demanded another $2,000. Jones said he shot Stow in self-defense after Stow reached for a gun. He also claimed that he became sick after seeing Stow injured, went to the bathroom, heard a noise, and reflexively shot Monique. The jury rejected his account.

Jones was indicted on March 18, 1993, for First-Degree Murder and Attempted First-Degree Murder. On February 18, 1994, he was found guilty on both counts. On February 23, 1994, the jury recommended a death sentence by a vote of 9 to 3. On May 31, 1994, the court sentenced Jones to death for the murder of Monique Stow and to life imprisonment for the attempted murder of Ezra Stow.

Jones appealed to the Florida Supreme Court. On December 26, 1996, the court affirmed his convictions and death sentence. The court found that the evidence supported the convictions and upheld the aggravating factors, including pecuniary gain and cold, calculated, and premeditated murder.

Jones later filed post-conviction appeals. His Rule 3.850 motion was filed on September 17, 1998, and denied on January 23, 2004. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial on April 13, 2006.

In 2018, Jones also sought relief under Hurst v. Florida, which affected some Florida death penalty cases involving non-unanimous jury recommendations. The Florida Supreme Court held that Hurst did not apply retroactively to Jones because his death sentence became final in 1997, and the court affirmed the denial of relief.