DNA leads to charges filed in 1994 murders of Renton mother, son

RENTON, Wash. — DNA evidence led to charges being filed against a man accused of murdering a woman and her 3-year-old son in Renton in 1994.

Jerome Frank Jones was charged on Tuesday with two counts of first-degree aggravated murder in the Oct. 28, 1994, deaths of Stacy Falcon-Dewey and her son, Jacob Dewey.

Jones is currently serving time in a California prison for fatally shooting a man in that state in 1995.

Jones is believed to have robbed, raped and beat Stacy Falcon-Dewey before killing her. Jones likely shot Falcon-Dewey’s child to death in front of her before killing her, a King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office case summary said.

The bodies of Stacy Falcon-Dewey and her son were found lying next to her car on South 55th Street in Renton.

According to Renton police documents, both victims had been shot and it appeared a struggle had occurred both inside and outside the car.

Probable cause documents said items from Stacy Falcon-Dewey’s purse were strewn around the car, and items from the car were found outside the passenger’s side, including shoes, sunglasses, a cigarette package and a floor mat.

Investigators found circular sections of 2-inch, light brown packing tape in the car that indicated the tape may have been used to bind the victims. Buttons were also found that appeared to have been ripped from Stacy Falcon-Dewey’s shirt.

Though the case was investigated extensively by Renton police detectives, no arrests were made.

With advances in DNA identification, evidence was submitted or resubmitted to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.

ln December 2021, investigators learned that semen was detected on the sleeve of the jacket worn by Jacob Dewey at the time of his murder. A male DNA profile was developed from the sperm that matched the DNA profile of Jerome Jones.

Semen detected in oral swabs and fingernail clippings from the body of Stacy Falcon-Dewey matched Jones’ DNA profile in the Washington State Patrol convicted felon database, court documents said.

If convicted, Jones will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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