A Clark Atlanta University student accused of killing her roommate was denied bond Thursday.
Fulton County Superior Court Judge Rachel Krause said Jordyn Jones is not a good candidate for bond because she is a flight risk and may have already tried to contact witnesses in the case.
“The ultimate intimidation of witnesses,” the judge called it.
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Jones and boyfriend Barron Brantley, both 21, are each charged with felony murder in the Oct. 31 death of Clark Atlanta senior Alexis Janae Crawford. Crawford, 21, of Athens, was reported missing Nov. 1, two days after her family last spoke with her. Her body was found Nov. 8 in a DeKalb County park, ending a weeklong search.
The tragedy has captured attention not only in Georgia but around the nation.
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Credit: Channel 2 Action News
Credit: Channel 2 Action News
During Thursday’s hearing, prosecutors said Jones made plans to withdraw from Clark Atlanta and to return to her native Michigan hours after Crawford’s death.
The Deputy District Attorney also said Brantley’s DNA was found in Crawford’s rape kit. No rape charges have been filed in the case.
Prosecutors said Jones tried to cover up that evidence.
“On her own volition, the defendant Ms. Jones called family members of Ms. Crawford and told them that there was no DNA found in the rape kit,” the prosecutor said. “Well that is incredibly incorrect.”
On Oct. 26, Brantley was with the roommates in their McDaniel Street apartment, and the three consumed alcohol, according to police reports. The following day, Crawford reported to police that Brantley had assaulted her. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, according to a police report, but she was taken to Grady Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Crawford and Jones had been close friends while studying at Clark Atlanta. Jones had visited the Crawford family home for holidays rather than traveling home.
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After the alleged assault, Crawford and Jones weren’t on speaking terms, Jones later told police. But on the night of Oct. 30, Crawford asked Jones to take her for a late-night trip for alcohol, according to Jones. Jones obliged.
Back at their off-campus apartment, Crawford and Jones got into a physical fight, court documents state. Brantley also got involved in the fight, documents say.
“As a result of the physical altercation, Barron Brantley choked the victim until she was deceased,” an Atlanta Police Department report says.
According to Jones’ arrest warrant, Jones also smothered Crawford with a black trash bag.
“Afterwards Jones and Brantley placed Alexis Crawford in a plastic bin and transported her body to Exchange Park in Decatur, GA, where they placed her body in the woods,” the police report says.
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Brantley was not at Thursday’s hearing. He and Jones are expected in court Friday morning for a preliminary hearing.
