A Claiborne County jury found Roy Lee Jones guilty of capital murder in the death of his elderly neighbor, sixty-nine year old Rosetta Ellis. Several months prior to his conviction, Jones was indicted on the charge after bludgeoning and strangling the victim in her home, setting her house afire and fleeing the scene with a handful of pocket-change from her purse.
After a two-day trial and a wealth of testimony from several witnesses, the jury finally reached its verdict on the evening of October 1, 2021, finding Roy Lee Jones guilty of capital murder. He was sentenced by Judge Tomika Irving to a term of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Ms. Ellis, affectionately known by the community as “Jean”, is succeeded by her mother, Burnell Monroe, three brothers, Daniel, Malcom, and Arthur Monroe, and Malcom’s wife, Tumpi Monroe. These family members, who were present at trial, expressed their pleasure with the outcome of the case and were extremely thankful for the hard work and time the District Attorney’s office devoted to bringing forth justice in this case. They were especially grateful to the District Attorney, Daniella Shorter
