45 Years in Prison: Washington Man Wonell Jones Fatally Shot His Children's Mother More Than 20 Times in Front of Eight Children
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia announced on October 30 that Wonell Jones, Jr., 38, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced that day to 45 years in prison on charges related to the July 2022 death of 33-year-old Audora Williams. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced the sentence.
Jones was found guilty on July 16, 2026, of one count each of first-degree murder while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Superior Court Judge J. Michael Ryan ordered the 45-year prison term to be followed by five years of supervised release.
According to the government's evidence, on the afternoon of July 19, 2022, Jones returned to Williams' apartment in the 2900 block of Knox Place, SE, after a grocery run with one of her young sons. Surveillance video shows Jones entering the building and the apartment with the child. Inside were eight children, including three of Jones's children, three of Williams's children, and a toddler and a baby shared by Jones and Williams.
Jones was not supposed to be at the home or in contact with Williams, who held a temporary protective order against him, with a protective-order trial scheduled just days later. After closing the door to Williams's room, Jones argued loudly with her, accusing her of cheating; his screaming grew louder and angrier, and then gunshots rang out. Jones partially stepped out of the room and fired more shots before fleeing the apartment, leaving the children behind. Williams was shot more than 20 times with two different guns and succumbed to her injuries.
Jones was arrested in Florida on August 29, 2022, and extradited to the District of Columbia on October 26, 2022, and has been in custody since. The case was investigated by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：美国司法部总部大楼（GSM联邦固定图库）。本案当事人无官方照片。 / Image: U.S. Department of Justice headquarters (GSM federal fixed-image library). No official photo of the parties is available.
