San Antonio, Texas, October
31st, 2017: This morning, a Bexar County Grand Jury returned a true bill of indictment against Genene Jones, age 66, for the September 24, 1981 murder of 3-month-old Paul Villarreal.
“These are your kids too. These are San Antonio babies,” said Petti McClellan-Wiese during the press conference this afternoon, she is the mother of 15-month-old Chelsea McClellan, who fell victim to Genene Jones in 1982. In 1984, a jury in Williamson County sentenced Jones to 99 years in prison for the death of Chelsea McClellan.
Over
the last year, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office has announced
several indictments against Jones. In June, this office announced the indictments
against Jones for the July 3, 1981 murder of 8-month-old Richard “Ricky”
Nelson; the January 17, 1982 murder of 4 ½ month-old Patrick Zavala; and the
September 16, 1981 murder of 2-year-old Rosemary Vega. In May, a Bexar County
Grand Jury returned a true bill of indictment against Jones for the 1981 murder
of 11-month-old Joshua Sawyer.
The Grand Jury recommended Jones’ bond be set at $1 million for this latest indictment. Due to a law in effect at the time Jones was initially sentenced in 1984, she will be released from prison in March 2018. She will, however, not be released from custody; at some point, Jones will be extradited back to Bexar County where she will await trial for her new murder charges. Jones is currently incarcerated in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Lane Murray Unit in Gatesville, Texas.
“True Justice will come when she stands before the Lord, but until then, we will do our best to make sure Genene Jones takes her last breath from behind prison bars,” said District Attorney LaHood.
Murder is a first degree felony, punishable by 5 to 99 years or life in prison and up to a $10,000.00 fine.