It was a Monday morning more than six months ago that 68-year-old Sterling Emanuel Jones kissed his wife goodbye and said, “I’ll be back.”
That was Oct. 25, 2021, and Jones’ family would never hear from him or see him again.
On Thursday, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced that the disappearance of Jones in now being investigated as a homicide. Crime Stoppers said the reward for information in the case now stands at $20,000 – $15,000 from the family and $5,000 from Crime Stoppers.
“He’s been taken away from us,’’ said Sterling Huntley, one of Jones’ four adult sons. “We are sad that he is gone. We’ve missed him.”
“We’ve had to endure holidays- Thanksgiving and Christmas – without him,’’ Huntley said. “As a family it has been painful experience to have a loved one go missing and to not be able to find him.”
Jones lived most of his life in Homewood’s Rosedale community where he was known and loved, though he had recently moved to the Center Point area before he disappeared.
He raised chickens, played golf, loved to cook and was very much a people person, said those who knew him best. Jones owned his own tree cutting business that carried the motto, “We’ll go out on a limb for you.”
Jones left that Monday morning with another man he did not know well to go to the Golden Moon Hotel and Casino at the Pearl River Resort. His family quickly became alarmed when he did not return as planned.
“He left home that morning and the last we heard from him was a ping on his cell phone,’’ Huntley said.
“He would never not come home,’’ Huntley said. “Immediately we were alarmed as a family and reached out to as many officers as we could.”
“He didn’t run away,’’ he said. “We knew that from Day 1. We knew whatever happened, something was amiss.”
At the time of Jones’ disappearance, sheriff’s officials said they were looking for a vehicle believed to be involved in the disappearance of Jones. That vehicle was a green 2011 Infinity QX50 SUV with a personalized tag that reads “SIRNARD.”
Agee on Thursday said the vehicle has been located.
“Someone might have seen this vehicle during this time period or unknowingly assisted in this offense,’’ Agee said. “We’re asking that anyone who has knowledge of this situation to please pass it on to us.”
While Jones’ body has not been found, Agee said, they’ve received evidence that leads them to believe Jones is dead. “We cannot elaborate on the manner or cause or location of his death,’’ Agee said. “Information has come in slowly, evidence has come in slowly, but it’s gotten us to this point.
Huntley said the family has been searching for answers and fighting for justice since Jones disappeared.
“This has been a tragedy for us as a family,’’ Huntley said. “My father was a wonderful man, an upstanding member of the community. He was a Renaissance man. He would help you with whatever problem you had large or small.”
“It’s something you see on television a lot and when it’s other people you think, ‘Well that’s an interesting case for someone to leave home and never come back,’’’ he said. “But when it’s your family, when it comes a little closer to home, it feels a little different.”
“I love him, tremendously. It is with that passion that we ask the community, anybody who knows anything relating to his disappearance …that you would help bring justice to the case,’’ Huntley said. “We’re adamant that we’re seeking justice and we believe that we can get justice. We need your help. If you’ve seen something, we ask that you say something. If you know something, we ask that you notify law enforcement.”
“This is a tragedy beyond measure,’ ‘Huntley said. “He didn’t deserve any of what has happened or transpired.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 205-325-1450 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777. Tips to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and if the information leads to an arrest, tipsters are paid cash within two weeks.
