Double Homicide Suspect Given 50-Year Sentence in Erie County

BUFFALO, NY – Charles L. Jones, a 28-year-old Buffalo resident, was recently sentenced to 50 years in prison on Thursday by Erie County Court Judge Sheila A. DiTullio. Jones was found guilty of causing the death of his ex-girlfriend, Jacquetta Lee, 25, and his mother, Alethia Atwood Williams, 52.

The Erie County District Attorney’s office reported that Lee was found deceased in her Main Street apartment on July 18, 2019. Lee was discovered in the bathroom days after she was reported missing by her family.

Williams’ body was discovered in her Jefferson Avenue apartment during a search warrant execution on August 16, 2019, when Jones was arrested for Lee’s murder. The remains were found in a closet, and it is believed that Williams had been deceased for around two weeks.

Jones pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree manslaughter on April 24, 2023, avoiding the commencement of jury selection for his trial. The plea agreement stipulated that Jones would receive the maximum sentence for his crimes.