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Note Found In SI Fire: Handwriting May Match Mother's


By

Jen Chung

Published Jul 25, 2010

Modified Jul 25, 2010


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By

Jen Chung

Published Jul 25, 2010

Modified Jul 25, 2010


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As the investigation continues into the deaths of a Staten mother and her four children (their bodies were discovered after a three-alarm fire), sources say that the handwriting found on a note left in the ashes which said "am sorry" may match the mother's handwriting. The NY Post reports, "Investigators compared the badly burned note to writings in Leisa Jones' journal, which was found at the scene, and believed they found a match, according to two sources."

It was initially suspected that Jones' 14-year-old son, C.J., may have killed his two sisters by slashing their throats and setting the fire that killed his two-year-old brother and mother. C.J.'s body was found with his throat slashed and a razor was underneath him. According to the Daily News, undigested pills were also found in C.J.'s stomach: "A source said detectives are waiting for toxicology results on the pills found in the troubled teen's stomach 'to see if mom doped any of the kids to make it easier for her to slit their throats.'"

C.J. Jones's father, Earlston Raymond, who lives outside of Kingston, Jamaica, told the News, "If anybody set fire to that house and killed those children, it's their mother. She's got a high temper." He also said to the Post that Leisa Jones pulled a knife on a relative. But her sister said, "My sister is not a murderer. Those kids were her life."

Tagged

CJ jones

fatal fire

fire

Leisa Jones

murder-suicide

staten island

throat slashing


Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations


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