Editor’s note: This story has been updated from the print version of the Nov. 15 Sequim Gazette. Aline Jones, 44, of Sequim, was in Clallam County Superior Court on Nov. 14 for her arraignment.
A Sequim woman accused of killing the daughter of a deceased man for whom she had been a caregiver pleaded not guilty on Nov. 14 to all seven charges against her.
A trial date was tentatively set for Jan. 8 for Aline Jones, 44.
Jones remains in Clallam County jail in lieu of $500,000 bail on one count of second-degree murder, theft of a motor vehicle — both felonies — and five gross misdemeanors.
The body of Susan M. Ferrel, 65, of Nevada was found Oct. 26 at a Diamond Point home that belonged to her late father, Raymond Rhodes, according to a press release from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
Jones had worked as a caretaker for Rhodes, who died Oct. 14 at the age of 93, according to the motion for determination of probable cause.
On Nov. 14, defense attorney Doug Kresl, filling in for John Hayden, waived formal reading of the charges and entered the not guilty pleas on Jones’ behalf in Clallam County Superior Court.
He expected the case to be set out beyond the 60-day speedy trial limit, Kresl said.
Judge Simon Barnhart said he would set a speedy trial date with an outside date of Jan. 13, which could be addressed at future hearings.
Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Michele Devlin proposed a Dec. 12 status hearing date, which Barnhart said worked for the court. She expected the trial to last three to four weeks.
Barnhart said, “I will set a trial date of Jan. 8, 2024. Given the complexity of this case, that date is very likely to be changed. We will have your case back on the court calendar on Dec. 12 at 9 a.m. to discuss status of the case.”
Jones was charged Nov. 1 in Clallam County Superior Court with second-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement and motor vehicle theft, both felonies.
She also was charged with making false or misleading statements to a public servant, tampering with physical evidence — murder weapon, tampering with physical evidence — documents, tampering with physical evidence — clothing and removal or concealment of body, all gross misdemeanors.
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A woman accused of killing the daughter of a man who she says gave her his home was charged on Nov. 1 in Clallam County Superior Court with five gross misdemeanors and two felonies, second-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement and motor vehicle theft.
Aline Jones, 44, of Sequim is scheduled to be in Clallam County Superior Court at 1 p.m. Nov. 14 for her arraignment, where a formal plea is entered. She remained in Clallam County jail in lieu of $500,000 bail on Nov. 1.
The body of Susan M. Ferrel, 65, of Nevada, was found Oct. 26 at a Diamond Point home that belonged to her late father, Raymond Rhodes, according to a press release from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office.
The body was found on the ground between the house and a motorhome parked along the edge of the property and the roadway, the statement read.
Jones had worked as a caretaker for Rhodes, who died Oct. 14 at the age of 93, according to the motion for determination of probable cause.
Rhodes had filed a quit claim deed on Sept. 28 for the house at 300 North St. to Aline Jones and her ex-boyfriend Clinton Jones, according to the probable cause statement.
“Jones said that Raymond gave her the house and that Susan didn’t need it,” the statement read.
Jones told a dispatcher early Saturday afternoon that she and Ferrel had gotten into a “bad fight” after Ferrel had discovered documents regarding the house in Rhodes’s belongings, the probable cause statement read.
Jones told investigators that she had “fight or flight,” “kill or be killed” thoughts in her head at the time, according to the statement.
Investigators executed a search warrant to photograph numerous parts of Jones’ body in an attempt “to validate Jones’ claims of defensive wounds sustained in the fight,” the statement read.
Clallam County Sheriff’s Deputy Stacy Sampson wrote in the probable cause statement, “She did not have injuries consistent with defensive wounds one would expect if she were involved in a two-way fight for life.”
Jones was arrested and booked into jail Saturday evening for investigation of second-degree murder.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Lauren Erickson read the charges on Nov. 1. Jones is charged with second-degree murder with a deadly weapon enhancement. It is a Class A felony, punishable by a maximum of a $50,000 fine and/or up to life imprisonment. According to the police statement, Jones allegedly attacked Ferrel with a hammer and a screwdriver.
Jones also is charged with motor vehicle theft, which is a Class B felony. It is punishable by a maximum of a $20,000 fine and/or 10 years in prison. The police statement said Jones allegedly stole Ferrel’s rental car.
The other four counts are gross misdemeanors, punishable by a maximum of 364 days in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.
Count three is making false or misleading statements to a public servant. Count four is tampering with physical evidence, specifically, the murder weapons. Count five is tampering with documents, specifically, the property deed to the house of the victim’s late father and his living will.
Count six is tampering with physical evidence. Jones allegedly laundered her work clothing that she wore during the attack. Count seven is removal or concealment of a body. Jones allegedly rolled the victim’s body off a roof and placed a concrete block next to her head to make it look like an accident, according to police documents.
