CaribWorldNews, STATEN ISLAND, New York, Mon. July 26, 2010: New York City investigators seeking to determine who was the exact perpetrator of a murder/suicide in Staten Island involving an immigrant family, will have to wait for the results of toxicology tests.
A cause of death for Jamaican C. J. Jones and his mother, Trinidad migrant Leisha Jones, whose charred bodies were pulled from a Staten Island home last week were pending yesterday with toxicology tests not expected until later this week.
C.J., his mother, his little brother, aged 2, and two little sisters, 7 and 10, respectively, were found dead in Port Richmond, Staten Island late Thursday. Initially, C.J., 14, was blamed for killing his two sisters and starting the fire that claimed the lives of his mom and baby brother. The conclusion was made after C.J. was found in the back bedroom of his family`s Port Richmond apartment with a straight-edge razor lodged under his body.
But over the weekend, that conclusion was called into question after police officials said they had matched the handwriting on a burnt note and a diary found at the scene to Ms. Jones, and not C. J. Additionally, reports indicate pills were found in Jones` stomach, possibly indicative of a suicide attempt.
C.J.`s father, Earlston Raymond, has said he did not believe his son had committed the crime. Raymond lives in Jamaica.
The teenage boy recently had been kicked out of a public pool for setting a fire there, and neighbors described him lighting paper on fire in front his apartment building in recent days.
Now investigators seem to agree with him but are awaiting toxicology tests. Autopsy results revealed that Brittney and Melonie died from slash wounds to their necks and Jermaine from smoke inhalation.