Vacaville man convicted of murdering Vallejo resident
(Photo courtesy Solano County District Attorney’s Office, Graphic by Solano NewsNet)
A Vacaville man was convicted of murder on Wednesday following a five-week jury trial, county prosecutors announced in a press release.
Merlin Sylvester Jones, 29, was found guilty of first-degree murder in connection with the death of Maleek Mitchell of Vallejo.
The case dates back to March 2017 when police in Vallejo responded to the area of Pennsylvania Street and Marin Street after receiving a report of shots fired.
A surveillance video later revealed that Mitchell had been tossed from a moving Volvo into the middle of the road. A subsequent examination found the victim had been shot in the back. Before dumping him in the street, police say Jones stole the victim’s wallet and money.
Less than two weeks later, Jones and another man were connected to a shooting that occurred in Santa Rosa. The victim of that shooting underwent surgery and survived his injuries. Jones fled the scene, but another man was promptly captured and arrested.
Jones was finally taken into custody on April 2 when he was caught by officers in Redwood City.
Investigators with the Vallejo Police Department later examined a phone belonging to Jones and found what prosecutors called “incriminating content” on the device. The data revealed Jones and Mitchell had arranged a meet-up on the same day he was found dead.
Ballistics evidence from bullets taken from Mitchell’s body matched firearms shown in photos on Jones’ phone, further connecting him to the crime, authorities said.
After a five-week trial, a jury convicted Jones on the murder charge and a separate count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Jones is scheduled to be sentenced on May 20.
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