Lester Jones Trial: Jury Returns Verdict of Guilty

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

The trial of Lester Jones came to a conclusion on Tuesday, December 27, 2016 in Grand Junction, Colorado when the jury returned with a verdict of GUILTY. Source: CBS 4 Denver http://www.denver.cbslocal.com/2016/12/27/lester-jones-found-guilty-in-paige-birgfeld-murder/Our friend and fellow Cheffer, Paige Dixon Birgfeld, disappeared without a trace on June 28, 2007. Lester Ralph Jones immediately became a person of interest, but without a body, the case soon when cold. Human remains were found in Colorado on March 8, 2012. Two days later, dental records tentatively identified the remains as those of Paige. On March 28, DNA testing confirmed that Paige had been found.Jones went on trial last summer, but the jury was unable to reach a conclusion and the result was a mistrial. Jones was held under $2 million cash bail awaiting a new trial, which began in December.Will this finally end the ordeal? Don't bet on it. An appeal is likely.

 

[The_Kitchen_Guy]

By the way...Hannibal Lester has been sentenced to life in prison.

 

[pamperedlinda]

Can't believe it took this long

 

[baychef]

I agree, Linda! Thank you so much Kitchen Guy for your unwavering loyalty to not just Paige, but keeping us up to date. And may Paige's murderer for slowly in prison and in hell. I will never understand how one can take another's life.

 

[scottcooks]

Paige's family was so overdue for closure, my prayers are that this verdict gives them some. I'll finally write here what I wrote on countless candles in gratefulness.org, 'praying for Paige and -her family, -her dad, -her youngest child, -her middle child, -her eldest child.' May Paige finally rest in light eternal.Scriptures tell us to pray for our enemies and for those who persecute us. While I find it really hard to pray for Lester, I pray about his circumstances. My heart goes out to Lester's wife and family... what must that be like? Kitchen guy, thanks for keeping us informed. We appreciate your tenacity and perseverance!As to sentencing, death penalties are notoriously expensive (filings, courts, lawyers, appeals, processing, security, holding, etc.), obscenely overbearing on jurors, later sometimes proven wrong [how do you "undo" that?], often racially biased and do not serve as deterrents. In a true sense they bring out our worst as a society. http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/documents/FactSheet.pdf

 

[baychef]

Well written, Scott. My personnel opinion about his sentence....as long as he is not out in our society, I am fine. His final sentence lies with our Lord. He will deliver the sentence deserved. The families of both the victim and the one committing the crime suffer. And often, the family of the criminal is treated by society as if they helped commit the crime.

 

[raebates]

I can't believe I missed this. I am so happy to hear the news. Thank you, KG, for your diligence in keeping up with this and keeping us informed. It's been a long road. I continue to pray for Paige's family. I also pray for Lester Jones.