State v. Jones

MEYER, Justice.

The evidence for the State tended to show that 54-year-old Mary Taper was found strangled to death in her room at the Southern Belle Motel in Mount Olive on the morning of 7 June 1984. Ms. Taper, who had worked for five years as a cook at the Southern Belle Restaurant, was the “common law wife” of Aldine Jones, the defendant’s father. Ms. Taper was living at the motel while her home was being rebuilt after it was partially destroyed by a tornado.

Ms. Taper was last seen alive at 9:00 p.m. on 6 June 1984 by Ms. Daisy Westbrook, manager of the motel. When Ms. West-brook returned…