How a 12-Year-Old Girl Helped Catch Her Killer (Prime Crime)

Law&Crime Network・2 minutes read

A young girl is brutally murdered, and Roy Coons Jr, with a criminal history, becomes a suspect due to DNA evidence and witness testimony. Coons is found guilty by the jury of multiple charges, including murder and attempted rape, based on various pieces of evidence presented during the trial.

Insights

  • Roy Coons Jr, an ex-convict, was convicted of second-degree murder, felony murder, attempted murder, and aggravated criminal child abuse, receiving a life sentence plus 25 years. The jury found the crime was not premeditated but a crime of opportunity, with DNA evidence, police tapes, and victim's text messages crucial in securing the conviction.
  • The trial against Coons was marked by conflicting evidence, multiple DNA profiles at the crime scene, and a lack of direct evidence. Despite the defense's arguments, a witness claiming Coons confessed to a murder in a homeless encampment provided damning testimony, ultimately leading to his conviction.

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Recent questions

  • Who was the main suspect in the murder case?

    Roy Coons Jr

  • What evidence linked Coons to the crime?

    Victim's text messages and DNA at the scene

  • What was Coons charged with?

    Murder and attempted rape

  • What was the jury's verdict in Coons' trial?

    Found guilty of second-degree murder and other charges

  • How did the victim's family feel after the trial?

    Enduring trauma and grief

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Summary

00:00

Murder suspect's trial reveals conflicting evidence

  • A young girl is found murdered, with a martial arts belt wrapped around her neck secured with a double knot, leading to her death by strangulation.
  • The victim's earbuds were soaked in blood, indicating a brutal attack where she likely didn't see the assailant coming.
  • Roy Coons Jr, an ex-con with a lengthy criminal history, becomes a person of interest in the investigation into the girl's murder.
  • Coons' DNA is found in various locations at the crime scene, but none of the fingerprints match his.
  • Coons is observed wearing latex gloves shortly after the homicide, raising suspicions.
  • Text messages sent by the victim to her mother before her death identify the man cutting the lawn as a suspect, linking Coons to the crime.
  • Coons is arrested and charged with the murder and attempted rape of the victim, but the prosecution struggles with direct evidence.
  • The defense argues that Coons did not commit the crimes, highlighting the lack of direct evidence and the presence of other DNA profiles at the scene.
  • During the trial, a witness claims Coons confessed to killing someone while living in a homeless encampment after the murder.
  • The case against Coons is complex, with conflicting evidence and multiple DNA profiles found at the crime scene, leaving the jury to decide his guilt.

20:36

"Ronald Coons Jr convicted of multiple charges"

  • Ronald Donald Coons Jr was found guilty by the jury of second-degree murder, felony murder, attempted murder, aggravated criminal child abuse, and sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 25 years. The jury determined that the crime was not premeditated but rather a crime of opportunity, with evidence such as DNA, police tapes, and the victim's text messages playing a crucial role in securing Coons' conviction. The family continues to endure the trauma and grief, knowing that while the guilty verdict marks the end of the legal case, their emotional journey persists.
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