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What We Know About Arizona Killing Spree Suspect Dwight Lamon Jones
Dwight Lamon Jones allegedly killed six people who were connected to his ex-wife and their divorce proceedings — and his ex's new husband discovered the link.
In the months before he unraveled, it was clear that Dwight Lamon Jones was angry. He was angry at his ex-wife. He was angry at a lawyer who represented her in divorce proceedings. He was angry at a psychiatrist who said his mental state would continue to unravel. He was angry at his son's therapist, too, records show, the Washington Post reported.
Now, six people are dead in his quiet community, and Jones himself died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound early Monday at a hotel in Scottsdale, Arizona.
The victims are: psychiatrist Dr. Steven Pitt, 59; paralegals Veleria Sharp, 48, and Laura Anderson, 49; Dr. Marshall Levine; Bryon Thomas, 72; and Mary Simmons, 70.
Here's what we know:
The Signs Were There
Jones was arrested after an alleged domestic dispute with his wife in May of 2009. He fractured her rib cage, according to court records, and threatened to kill her in front of their son. He was arrested and placed in a psychiatric hospital for a few days. When doctors released him, they said his mental state would continue to unwind. Pitt, who became one of Jones' alleged victims, wrote that Jones "will continue to unravel … he will become increasingly paranoid, likely psychotic, and pose an even greater risk of perpetrating violence."
Jones also made troubling Youtube videos, where he angrily called out his supposed enemies, according to the Post.
The Victims Were All Connected To His Divorce
The killings took place over several days. Psychiatrist Steven Pitt was killed on Thursday, police said. The two paralegals were shot Friday at the law firm of Burt, Feldman and Grenier, where police have said they believe that lawyer Elizabeth Feldman, who represented his wife in court, as the intended target, according to CNN.
The fourth victim was Dr. Marshall Levine. He was found on Saturday. Levine was renting office space in the same building where a therapist who examined Jones' child once worked.
The final two victims were found dead in their home in Fountain Hills. Police have not yet released information about the relationship, if any, between Jones and Bryon Thomas and Mary Simmons. Investigators think they were killed on Sunday afternoon.
His Wife's New Husband Made The Connection Between The Killings
Connie Jones said her new husband figured out the victims' connection to the divorce case, according to KPNX-12 in Phoenix.
"My husband, Richard Anglin (a retired Phoenix police detective), recognized the connection to my divorce and the three crime scenes and he notified the Phoenix Police violent crime unit on Saturday night," Connie Jones said in a statement. "I also contacted the Scottsdale Police Department on Sunday morning."
Not Much Is Known About Jones
Jones had a GED, according to the Washington Post. He married in 1988 in Fayetteville, N.C. Jones' son was born in 1997, and Jones was a stay-at-home dad. Jones' ex-wife is a radiologist, and they had a house in Scottsdale with two Mercedes-Benz cars and a Toyota.
He Apparently Shot Himself When Police Closed In
Jones died early Monday at an Extended Stay America hotel after a contentious standoff with police, according to ABC News. He allegedly shot at officers, and was gassed. Police sent in a robot and found Jones dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Maricopa County Sheriff Paul Penzone told reporters at the scene that Jones was an evil man. His actions "reflect the worst of humanity," Penzone said.
[Photo: Scottsdale Police Department]