UPDATE MAY 26: The Clark County coroner said 13-year-old Aaron Jones' cause and manner of death are both undetermined.
UPDATE AT 3:30 P.M. APRIL 28: The arrest report for Paul Jones reveals that he admitted to police that he killed his 13-year-old son.
Paul Jones was given custody of Aaron Jones and his sister in June 2016. He moved them into his home near Hollywood and Lake Mead boulevards with his 11 other children.
In mid-November, he moved the entire family into a one-bedroom apartment at Siegel Suites.
Jones' brother questions why Paul would have been given custody of Aaron despite having child abuse charges filed against him in 2015.
"I wouldn't think CPS would put kids in harms way and give them back to a parent if they aren't ready," Nikia Jones said.
Paul Jones told police that he would discipline Aaron for stealing food.
The discipline included making him stand against a wall with his arms extended over his head until he could no longer hold them up. The discipline would also include a "pop" on the bottom. Jones told police that he was told in a parenting class that he was allowed to "pop" a child on the bottom as long as it did not leave a bruise.
Jones said that Aaron showed up with a large amount of candy in February that he bought with money he stole from the other children. He said he took the candy away from Aaron and gave it to the other children.
He then made Aaron stand against the wall. When he could not hold his hands up any longer, he made him sit on the floor "Indian style" and tuck his hands under his legs.
Jones initially claimed that Aaron ran away after that incident. When confronted with inconsistencies in his story and other information that the police had, Jones admitted striking Aaron in the face with his open hand. He said that Aaron dropped to the floor, hitting his head. Jones took the boy into the bathroom and sprayed him down in the shower. When that did not revive him, he dressed him in a dry shirt and shorts and laid him on the living room floor. Jones said the boy was still breathing at that time. However, after a time, Jones noticed he was not breathing and he wrapped him in a blanket and carried him into the desert. He piled rocks on the body and left him there.
"We are starting to realize there were signs," Nikia Jones said. "We failed him as well as CPS."
The boy's body was discovered by his cousins who had gone to the Siegel Suites where he was living in an attempt to find him. After handing out flyers, they decided to search the nearby desert. They discovered the body and police were contacted.
The father's wife, LaToya Williams-Miley, was also arrested. Her arrest report has not been received yet and she was not mentioned in the arrest report for Jones.
Williams-Miley's cousin, who did not want to be identified, defended Williams-Miley.
"She can barely kill a fly or a bug. So for her to put her hands on a child or anything, it's unbelievable," the woman said.
When asked if Williams-Miley would take part in punishing Aaron, the woman said, "No, absolutely not."
The Jones family used to live across the street from Yure Ortega in east Las Vegas. She tells said there were warning signs.
"The kids would come out and the father would yell at them aggressively,” Ortega said. “I did think some of the kids would be hurt, but nothing like that."
UPDATE AT 10:30 A.M. APRIL 28: 33-year-old Latoya Williams-Miley has been arrested in connection with the murder of 13-year-old Aaron Jones.
Williams-Miley is the stepmom of Aaron Jones and is currently being held at Clark County Detention Center. Paul D. Jones was charged with the murder of his son Aaron Jones on April 27.
UPDATE AT 11:30 P.M. APRIL 27: 13 Action News is the only station to talk with the mother of Aaron Jones, Dijonay Thomas.
"I knew my child did not run away. I knew something else happened to my child," said Dijonay Thomas. "I'm going to always remember and love my son, even though he's gone."
The 13-year-old boy was Dijonay's oldest child.
Her family frantically searched for Aaron once they discovered he was missing.
Deante Magee, Aaron's cousin, found the body that police say likely was Aaron's.
"I really didn’t want to believe it,” Magee said, adding he was “just hoping it was something else, not a body.”
Paul Jones, Aaron's father, won custody of his son about a year ago.
Andrea Crite-Whitlock, a cousin of Aaron's mom, told 13 Action News that Jones kept his son away from his mom's side of the family.
“He just wouldn’t let the family see him," Crite-Whitlock said. "We did try to ask dad. Dad wasn’t keeping in touch with us.”
UPDATE APRIL 27: Las Vegas police say investigators have substantial evidence to charge 33-year-old Paul Jones with the murder of his missing son.
They did not say if the body that was found on Tuesday has been positively identified, but do believe it is 13-year-old Aaron Jones.
13 Action News spoke to the family related to the teen's mother for the first time Thursday.
"Why and how could you do this? How could you look at your son and leave him there and walk away? And leave him there for four months?" said Tara Walker, a cousin for the teen boy.
The family also told 13 Action News that Aaron's mother had given custody to Paul Jones over a year ago. Since then the teen had been living with his father.
Police did say family were the first to notify them that Jones may have been responsible for the teen's disappearance.
"He was such a joy to our family and it is so tragic that we have to go through this," Walker said.
Paul Jones also faces charges for a previous child abuse case. He denied a request to speak to media Thursday.
He spoke to 13 Action News in a jailhouse interview Wednesday. Watch the full interview below.
UPDATE APRIL 26: Las Vegas police say that the body that was discovered on Tuesday may be that of 13-year-old Aaron Jones who was officially reported missing on April 14, 2017, but has not been seen by family members since December 2016.
After he was officially reported missing, some family members began searching the area he was last seen. Their search led them to a nearby desert area where they believe they discovered the body of the teen.
Now, some are pointing the finger at the teen's father, Paul Jones.
13 Action News spoke with Jones. When asked why it took so long to report that his son was missing, Jones answered, “I don’t want to talk about it no more.”
The 33-year-old is currently in custody regarding a separate child abuse case.
"Like how would I do that to him?" he said.
Jones said he last saw the teen approximately two months ago.
"It's like, he was there with us," said Jones. "... I told him to do something, he didn't want to do it, like, then he ran away."
When asked if he was connected with his son's disappearance, Jones responded, "No, I’m not. That’s all I’m going to say.”
Police have not contacted Jones regarding the disappearance, he said.
Once confirmed, the identity of the deceased, as well as the cause and manner of death, will be released by the Clark County coroner’s office.
Meanwhile, other relatives are hoping that the teen is still alive.
"He's an adorable little boy, and I really loved him," said uncle Nikia Jones.
Police say that a dental expert is bring brought in Thursday to make a positive identification of the remains based on dental records.
ORIGINAL STORY
Las Vegas police say a body found in the desert near Boulder Highway has been decaying three to four months.
The body was found around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday near a bike trail between Boulder Highway and U.S. 95. Police said a family of a missing 13-year-old boy notified them that they found the body of the teen. The family reported the boy missing about two weeks ago.
However, police said the body is so far decayed that it's practically a skeleton and they're unable to tell the race or sex of the person deceased. But police did say the body matches one of a 13-year-old.
In addition, police are investigating the case as a suspicious death.
Police investigating a decaying body over off Boulder Hwy near Sandhill. The latest Channel 13 at 6 @KTNV pic.twitter.com/2z5QPaBEjS
— Gina Lazara (@GinaLazara) April 26, 2017
Family thinks body found near Boulder Hwy is 13 year old boy. Police say it's too decayed to tell right now. @KTNV pic.twitter.com/uKIDjyBOFV
— Gina Lazara (@GinaLazara) April 26, 2017
This is a developing story. Check back to 13 Action News for updates.
