Mother of Macon man shares thoughts after 15-year-old in custody, accused of murdering her son

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 15-year-old is in custody in relation to the death of a Macon man who was found dead in Boone County on Feb. 7.

The Boone County Sheriff's Office said in a social media post that a teenager was arrested on Tuesday.

“On 02/27/2024, a 15-year-old juvenile suspect was taken into custody for the murder of Malik Jones. Due to the fact the suspect is a juvenile there will be no further information released about the suspect and/or charges. This remains an active on-going investigation and no further information about the investigation will be released at this time,” according to a social media post from the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

Jones' mother, Shawna Patterson told ABC 17 News she believes it's a step in the right direction, but said she knows there's a long road ahead of getting to the bottom of things.

"This is just the beginning," Patterson said. "The arrest is yes, that's some justice. However, it won't be complete justice until someone is held accountable for what happened, until we see charges and convictions."

Patterson said she and her family were told on the Tuesday that someone had been taken into custody for the murder of her son. However, Patterson said no additional details were shared because it remains an active investigation.

Patterson said the developments are a bittersweet feeling for herself and her family, but she is still trying to wrap her head around the news. The age of the suspect is what she said causes the most confusion for her.

"It makes me sick to my stomach, I can't imagine a child doing something like this," Patterson said. "Malik is not generally the type of young man that is hanging out or hanging around young teenagers. That in itself has me baffled."

Jones, 25, was found dead in a wooded area near the 6100 block of Creasy Springs Road North, north of Columbia. He was reported missing on Jan. 30.

A missing poster says Jones was on his way to Columbia when he was last seen and was driving a blue Chevrolet Malibu with license plate number TK5D3V.

Capt. Brian Leer, of the Boone County Sheriff's Office, told ABC 17 News he's unable to comment on Jones' cause of death. Patterson said law enforcement has not given her family any insight into what led up to her son's death. She said there was a time when she wished to know more, but leaned on the fact that being told information could get in the way of getting justice for her son.

"I did feel like that at one point," Patterson said. "But not at the expense of jeopardizing what happened to my son and holding the person, or persons accountable for what happened to my son."

Patterson, had told ABC 17 News on Feb. 8 that she and her daughter were the ones to find the body.

Patterson said she remains hopeful the development will lead to the answer of what led up to her son's death. However, she said each day is its own struggle.

"A lot of his very close friends and including myself, my daughter, we go to the cemetery and visit with him daily," Patterson said. "I don't know how you pick up and go on from something like that... and that's kind of just what we're trying to wrap our heads around."

Juvenile Officer with the 13th Judicial Circuit of Missouri Ruth McCluskey noted a judge could choose to charge the juvenile as an adult. McCluskey said a juvenile officer would have to take into consideration things such as the seriousness of the crime, and if the youth has a criminal history.

McCluskey also said on average, the process can take between three-to-six months for a court to hold a hearing for that.