Bio

T. J. Jones was born on November 1, 1976. He was raised primarily by his mother after his father left when Jones was still an infant. During his capital trial, family members described a difficult home life marked by instability. His mother testified that Jones witnessed violence between her and a later partner when he was around 10 or 11 years old. His grandfather described him as a follower, and his teenage girlfriend testified that peer pressure may have influenced his behavior.

Jones dropped out of school at a young age and had limited education. Defense psychologist Craig Moore testified that Jones had below-average intelligence, an IQ reported around 78, and the emotional maturity of a child between 10 and 12 years old. Moore also testified that Jones had used drugs and alcohol from about age 13 and that marijuana laced with embalming fluid may have affected his judgment and reasoning.

Before the murder of Willard Lewis Davis, Jones had no adult criminal convictions. However, evidence at sentencing showed juvenile arrests involving vandalism, burglary, and theft. Prosecutors also presented evidence that three days before Davis was killed, Jones shot a convenience store clerk during a robbery, leaving the victim permanently disabled.

Murder Story

On February 2, 1994, T. J. Jones, then 17 years old, was drinking with three companions in Longview, Texas. According to his confession, Jones asked the group if they were “down for a jack,” meaning whether they wanted to steal a car. The group then obtained a .357 Magnum pistol and saw 75-year-old Willard Lewis Davis backing out of his driveway in a red car.

Jones approached Davis and ordered him out of the vehicle. Davis complied, and Jones’ three companions entered the car. Jones then ordered Davis to get back into the car so they could take him elsewhere and rob him. Davis refused, reportedly saying he needed to return to his wife. Jones then fired one shot at Davis from a distance of about two to three feet. The bullet struck Davis in the head, killing him in the street outside his home.

Jones and the others fled in Davis’ vehicle but did not get far. Police arrested Jones several blocks from the crime scene after the car was abandoned. When officers apprehended him, he had the murder weapon in his sweatshirt pocket. The revolver was loaded except for one spent round and was cocked and ready to fire.

Jones confessed to police but claimed he only meant to scare Davis and did not intend to kill him. A firearms expert testified that the gun could not have fired unless the trigger was pulled. A medical examiner testified that Davis died from a single gunshot wound to the head. A jail cellmate later testified that Jones calmly admitted shooting Davis after Davis refused to give up the car unless Jones killed him.

Jones was tried in Gregg County, Texas. On October 24, 1994, he was convicted of capital murder. On October 28, 1994, after a separate punishment phase, he was sentenced to death. His conviction and sentence were affirmed by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals on December 18, 1996. Later state and federal appeals were denied.

Because Jones was 17 at the time of the crime, his case drew criticism from death penalty opponents and international human rights groups. At that time, Texas law allowed capital punishment for offenders who were 17 at the time of the crime. Jones later asked his lawyers not to seek clemency or file further appeals. T. J. Jones was executed by lethal injection in Huntsville, Texas, on August 8, 2002. He was pronounced dead at 6:18 p.m.