Bio

Randall Scott Jones was born on May 7, 1968. At the time of the murders, Jones was 19 years old. Court records show that he spent the evening of July 26, 1987, with Chris Reesh, target shooting with a .30-30 caliber rifle near Rodman Dam in Putnam County, Florida. Their vehicle became stuck in sand pits, and after midnight they began looking for help. These events led them to the parking area where Matthew Paul Brock and Kelly Lynn Perry were sleeping inside Brock’s Chevrolet pickup truck.

Murder Story

During the evening of July 26, 1987, Randall Scott Jones and Chris Reesh went target shooting near Rodman Dam in Putnam County, Florida. They were using a .30-30 caliber rifle. At some point, Jones’ car became stuck in the sand pits. After midnight, the two men attempted to flag down a fisherman for help. The fisherman refused but told them they could ask the driver of a Chevrolet pickup truck parked nearby.

Inside that pickup truck were Matthew Paul Brock and Kelly Lynn Perry, who were sleeping in the cab. Sometime between 12:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m. on July 27, 1987, a 12-year-old camper heard three gunshots. Later that morning, a Rodman Dam concession worker discovered cigarette packs, broken glass, and blood in the parking lot. She followed a trail of blood into a wooded area and found Brock’s body. Police later searched the area and found Perry’s partially clothed body. Both victims had been shot in the head.

Later that morning, Brock’s brother, Richard Brock, and his sister-in-law saw Matthew Brock’s truck at a convenience store in Green Cove Springs, Florida. Jones was in possession of the truck. They noticed bullet holes in the windshield and saw a .30-30 caliber rifle inside. When Richard Brock confronted Jones, Jones claimed that Matthew Brock had sold him the truck for $4,000.

Jones was arrested on August 16, 1987, in Mississippi for possession of a stolen vehicle. During interviews with Putnam County sheriff’s deputies, Jones implicated himself in the murders but blamed Chris Reesh for the shootings.

Jones was indicted on August 28, 1987, on two counts of First-Degree Murder, along with charges of armed robbery, armed burglary of a conveyance, shooting a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, second-degree grand theft, and sexual battery. The state later dropped the grand theft count.

On March 24, 1988, a jury found Jones guilty on the remaining charges. On March 28, 1988, the jury recommended death by a vote of 11 to 1. On May 3, 1988, Jones was sentenced to death for both murders. He also received prison sentences for armed robbery, armed burglary, shooting a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle, and sexual battery.

Jones appealed. On September 13, 1990, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed his first-degree murder convictions and several noncapital convictions, but reversed the sexual battery conviction and vacated the death sentences because of cumulative errors during the penalty phase. The case was sent back for a new sentencing proceeding.

During resentencing, a jury again recommended death, this time by a vote of 10 to 2 on March 13, 1991. On May 28, 1991, Jones was resentenced to death for both murders. The Florida Supreme Court affirmed the new death sentences on December 17, 1992.

Jones continued filing appeals and post-conviction motions. His Rule 3.850 motion was denied, and on February 13, 2003, the Florida Supreme Court affirmed the denial of post-conviction relief and denied his habeas petition.