His Palm Print was on the Murder Weapon. No question it was his. Craig Melvin Voiceover but the mystery was just beginning because the dna was some other male. Craig Melvin Voiceover as the town chose sides and families fought for justice, more startling developments in a horrific murder. When youve got something that was this bad somebody has got to pay. Somebody has to pay. [theme music] hello, and welcome to dateline. Nona Dirksmeyer And Kevin jones were a couple with a bright future. She was a selfconfident 19yearold known for her beautiful voice. He was her devoted boyfriend with big ambitions. Then a brutal attack shattered their dreams. It was a crime that would shake a small Southern Town to its Core And Pit a family against the community they called home. Heres Keith Morrison with what happened to the Beauty Queen . Keith Morrison Voiceover look at her. Look at the young woman at the heart of our story. You can see how lovely she is, the young Beauty Queen. Can you see her vulnerability . By now, your first impression is probably locked in. Its very unlikely to change. And certainly, thats how it was In Russellville, arkansas, a town where a first impression hardened like a patch of cement. About her and also, for better or worse, about the young man accused of killing her. The boyfriend who found the body. The boyfriend who found the body. Keith Morrison Voiceover First Impressions die hard, including First Impressions of murder. And years later in this small, Southern Town we had to ask, can they ever change . Of course, that question is quite obvious now to Kevin Jones. But years ago, he didnt give a thing whom he impressed or didnt. All he knew was this he was going places. He was from a good family, lived near a wonderful city called russellville, and was well liked. Oh, and was adored by one girl in particular his high school sweetheart, Nona Dirksmeyer. So she was kind of like a soul mate, i suppose . Yeah, shei was closer to her than anybody else. Keith Morrison Voiceover he was going to marry her someday. She was, after all, about the prettiest girl in town. Local Beauty Pageant judges were wowed by her looks and poise. Had already crowned her as such. But heres another truth her boyfriend came to realize beauty really isnt everything. Nona was a sometimes troubled girl, given to bouts of emotional turmoil. Her mother, carol, was grateful to kevin for making her daughter happy. Kevin was really interested in helping nona get through some of these Hard Times she was having. He seemed to be a really caring person. Keith Morrison Voiceover he even brought nona into his own family. His mom, janice, dad, hiram, treated her as one of their own. She was not a girlfriend and she was our family. Keith Morrison Voiceover when it was time for kevin to go off to college, he and nona stayed in touch, and in love, through a wireless world of late Night Cell chats, and texts, and emoticons. When he didnt respond promptly, shed wag her finger at him. And she would send me Text Messages that said, you know, are you still alive . Sarcastically trying to get my attention. Keith Morrison Voiceover which is why he was so taken aback that day a little more than a week before christmas in 2005. It was december 15th. Nona uncharacteristically hadnt reached out to him or answered him since morning. At one point, he turned her old taunt back on her, texting, you alive . Even then, she didnt respond. This was not like nona. 4 and 1 2 years, we had made a pattern and thats what we did every day. And if that pattern is broken, it just kind of raises a Red Flag in my head. Why is she not responding . Were you worried . I was concerned. Keith Morrison Voiceover who knows why things work out the way they do. On that particular night, kevin was supposed to drive his Mom Janice to a christmas party. She remembers being in the car with him. And i said, well, you know, theres lots of reasons why she might not be answering her phone. You know, maybe her plans changed. Keith Morrison Voiceover but by now, kevin could think of nothing else. He called his buddy ryan, who delivered pizza near Nonas Apartment and asked him to check on her. And ryan called back with something eerie Nonas Car was in the lot. Her House Lights were on, but she wasnt answering the door. And i said, ok, well, im going to come over there. Keith Morrison Voiceover they pulled up to nonas Front Door. Ryan was still there. Kevin joined him. Ryan and i knocked and knocked and rang the Doorbell And Nobody came, and we started to get a little frantic. Keith Morrison Voiceover so the two men ran around the condo to nonas back door. Kevin says he rushed up to the sliding Glass Door without taking a moment to look inside. So when i was grabbing the handle, ryan touched me and he said, you dont see her . And i looked at him and he said, dude, there she is. And she was laying on in her front room. Keith Morrison Voiceover Nona Wasnt moving. Kevin threw open the unlocked door and rushed inside. Ryan, at one point, let my mom in the Front Door. They called 911 pretty soon after that. I straddled her midsection. My knees were on the ground above her midsection. Keith Morrison Voiceover he tried cpr, but she wasnt breathing. And her eyes, usually so luminous, there was no light, there was nothing at all. And i talked to her and i just prayed that everything was going to be ok and until the ems got there. [sirens] Keith Morrison voiceover soon, her little apartment was overwhelmed by paramedics and police. It wasnt long before an officer took kevin aside. Janis listened as her Sons Voice suddenly rose above the chaos. Then i heard him cry out. What, a howl . Yes. Thats what it was. And then he asked them if she was dead, and they affirmed, yes, she was. Keith Morrison Voiceover nona was gone. Nothing kevin could do about it. And as he tried to absorb the enormity of what had happened, he heard a policeman ask, could he come downtown, please . They had a few questions about what happened to nona. Craig Melvin Voiceover coming up, did kevin know what happened . Police seem to think so. Craig Melvin Voiceover and watch what happened when police were not asking questions. Craig Melvin Voiceover when dateline continues. Stay ahead of your childs moderatetosevere eczema. And they can show off clearer skin and less itch with dupixent, the 1 prescribed biologic by dermatologists and allergists, that helps heal your Childs Skin from within. Serious allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Tell your doctor about new or worsening Eye Problems such as Eye Pain or vision changes including blurred vision, Joint Aches and pain, or a parasitic infection. Dont change or stop asthma medicines without talking to your doctor. Ask your Childs Eczema Specialist about dupixent. Billy one second, grandma. 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Arexvy is a vaccine used to prevent lower Respiratory Disease from rsv in people 60 years and older. Arexvy does not protect everyone and is not for those with severe allergic reactions to its ingredients. Those with weakened Immune Systems may have a lower response to the vaccine. The most common Side Effects are injection site pain, fatigue, muscle pain, headache, and joint pain. Arexvy is Number One in Rsv Vaccine shots. Rsv . Make it arexvy. Keith Morrison Voiceover in pictures, make it arexvy. Nona dirksmeyer forever radiates promise and beauty. But there is something ugly that lives on, too her death and the way she was so brutally taken. Nonas mother, carol, knew it was bad the moment she arrived that night to see police at Nonas Apartment. I told them i wanted to see my baby, and of course they said you cant. So they had the crime Scene Tape up and everything. Keith Morrison Voiceover the police told carol it was horribly obvious nona had been murdered. But they were on the case, they told her. In fact, they were already trying to break down nonas last moments on earth. Keith Morrison Voiceover questioning the man who may have known her best. Keith Morrison Voiceover and Kevin Jones seemed eager to help the Police Figure out who killed his girlfriend. He readily agreed to go to the station that night to answer a few routine questions. Keith Morrison Voiceover but as Kevin Careened from what looked like disbelief Keith Morrison voiceover to grief Keith Morrison voiceover to anger and again Keith Morrison voiceover a few questions turned into many. Keith Morrison Voiceover and were pointed. They would leave me alone in the room. They would ask me questions. Keith Morrison Voiceover after a while, the police told kevin Keith Morrison voiceover he go home. They had other people to talk to, young Men Nona had been seeing while kevin was away at college. But it wasnt long before the detectives determined the alibis for those other men checked out. And six days later, as he prepared to say goodbye to nona at the funeral home, police asked him to come back to the police station. After about 20 minutes worth of questions, they asked me if id take a polygraph test. What did you say . I said sure. Keith Morrison Voiceover so they strapped him up and ran through the innocuous questions. And then and then they went out, analyzed it, came back and said what . The man who gave it to me told me that he had not seen anybody fail the test worse in his 28 or some odd years of giving Lie Detector tests. Keith Morrison Voiceover the murder of the Beauty Queen was very big news In Russellville. And given the nature of the crime and the victim so young and pretty and vulnerable the pressure to solve it from the public and the press was quite intense. So imagine how it was for the lead detective, Mark Frost, given that this was his very first homicide case. Keith Morrison Voiceover though as he talked to kevin, frost sounded like a Veteran Whod seen it all and was disgusted. At this point, it wasnt really questioning. It was more of them yelling at me, telling me they knew that i did it. Keith Morrison Voiceover yet the police didnt arrest kevin that night. Heres what they did instead. They told Nonas Mother that the young man she thought would be her soninlaw One Day was, in fact, her daughters killer. The first thing that i was told was that he was a sociopath with a narcissistic personality. Keith Morrison Voiceover nona had been stabbed repeatedly around the Neck And Chest and bashed on the head. The medical examiner said that was what killed nona. The police told carol that this had to have been a very personal attack, not something a stranger would have done. But kevin could have. So now, carol had two shocks to absorb. I knew he did it. I knew in my heart it was someone that she knew. She would never let anyone in the apartment that she didnt know. Keith Morrison Voiceover so now, kevins horrifying discovery was subjected to a dark and troubling spin. Detective Mark Frost said that, to him, the Crime Scene up there looked staged. And a week later, there was a Press Conference at which the police told the russellville public, dont worry. We know who committed this crime. Keith Morrison Voiceover police didnt mention the Suspects Name just then, but it wasnt long before everybody In Russellville knew perfectly well that it was Kevin Jones. This is what appeared in the russellville courier three months after Nonas Murder. Nonas killer remains free, and russellville Police Department has requested formal charges against one suspect. Hiram jones is kevins father. They tried, convicted, and sentenced kevin within 90 days of it happening. If you was a Stranger Walking in a Coffee Shop based In Russellville and you read that, what would you think . Keith Morrison Voiceover it bothered Kevins Mother Janice something awful when bumper stickers, justice for nona, started cropping up. After all, she loved nona, too. The assumption that i formed and i think many people formed was that justice for nona meant Convict Kevin. Convict kevin. Topping our news, police make an arrest in the murder of a 19yearold arkansas Beauty Queen. Keith Morrison Voiceover on march 31, 2006, not long after that courier article, police finally did announce the arrest of Kevin Jones for the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer. Whether or Not Kevin was convicted in the Court Of Public Opinion was now apparently irrelevant. He was about to stand trial and quite possibly be convicted where it really mattered a court of law. Craig Melvin Voiceover coming up, a footprint in blood on the lamp used to kill known. Guess whos . Keith morrison no question it was his. No question it was his. Craig Melvin Voiceover but on another key piece of evidence . The dna was some other male. Craig Melvin Voiceover when dateline continues. [music playing] Keith Morrison voiceover a small southern city, a local Beauty Queen murdered, her boyfriend accused of the crime. It was hard to be In Russellville in 2007 and not be steeped in the story of Nona Dirksmeyer and Kevin Jones. This case probably had more statewide publicity than any criminal case in many, many years, perhaps ever, in arkansas. Keith Morrison Voiceover yet of course, kevin had a right to a fair trial, an impartial jury. His lawyers argued that would be impossible in a place like russellville, so the venue was changed to the nearby city of ozark. The Media Spotlight is on the small northwest Arkansas Town of ozark as Jury Selection begins in a highly Keith Morrison voiceover to the prosecutor, the Trials Location mattered little. What did matter was the evidence, and he believed there was enough of that to put Kevin Jones away for years. Jeff phillips was the deputy prosecutor. We believed, and i believe that the morning of her death, Kevin Jones came in unexpectedly. Keith Morrison Voiceover when The Trial opened in 2007, the prosecutor told the jury the reason for this crime was as old as the bible itself jealous rage. Kevin jones had walked into his Lovers Apartment that day in December Of 2005 and found within it a cheating heart. While there, discovered either a Text Message from another person and or a used Condom Wrapper on a counter, and things escalated from there, escalated out of control. Keith Morrison Voiceover and ended, the prosecutor said, with jones repeatedly stabbing nona, then crushing her skull with a lamp base. Left his Palm Print on the lamps bulb. No question it was his . No question it was his. The defense didnt even make an issue that it was his. Keith Morrison Voiceover but its what kevin did next, said the prosecutor, that showed how calculating he could be. Kevin left Nonas Apartment, he said, with her dead on the floor, then waited through the afternoon until hours later, when he could come back with his Mother And Friend to find nonas body. In my opinion, an intentional attempt to be to have Someone Else find her but him. Keit