Minnesota Woman Sentenced to 25 Years for Grisly Crimes Including Murder and Solicitation
Angela Renee Jones, a 35-year-old Minnesota resident, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison following a recent ruling by St. Cloud’s Seventh Judicial Court. The sentence comes in response to Jones’ admission of guilt in June for a series of serious crimes, as recorded in official court documents.
Jones’ charges encompass a range of disturbing actions, such as the fatal shooting of her closest friend, involvement in planning another murder, and orchestrating a concerning interaction while incarcerated. The sentencing, which took place on a Friday, was a consequence of Jones pleading guilty to charges of second-degree murder and aiding an offender-accomplice after the fact.
The unsettling sequence of events began to unfold on June 2, 2021, when St. Cloud police responded to reports of a possible fatality. The lifeless body of Janesa Leshay Harris, aged 28, was found within the apartment. Harris, a resident of the apartment, had been fatally shot in the mouth. Prosecutors contend that an altercation between Jones and Harris took place due to Harris’ expressed wish to sever her ties with Jones.
The next day the body of a woman was found with a fatal gunshot wound to her head at a location approximately seven miles from the initial crime scene. The police noted connections between these two murders, raising concerns of a potential correlation.
The second victim was identified as 25-year-old Keisa Marie Lange. Through a comprehensive investigation, it was revealed that Jones, along with a female accomplice and two males later identified as DeAntae Davis and Kenneth Carter, were involved in picking up Lange, around 7 a.m. on June 3, 2021, as detailed in a criminal complaint.
Subsequent phone conversations intercepted by detectives revealed Jones’ role. According to these conversations, Jones claimed to have driven to a remote location where Davis allegedly shot Lange within the vehicle. Afterward, Jones purportedly instructed her accomplices to remove Lange from the car, saying “Get the bitch out of the car,” cops wrote in the complaint. Carter fired his gun at Lange after she was taken out of the car, the complaint said.
Following the crime, the individuals took steps to conceal evidence. They reportedly went to a residence where they used bleach to clean the vehicle, disposed of communication devices, and burned their clothing in an apparent attempt to evade detection.
Further investigations led to the discovery of the vehicle at Jones’ residence the following day, with traces of blood found in the rear seat. As authorities dug deeper, indications arose that Lange might have been targeted due to suspicions of her being an informant for law enforcement. Clues were found in a discarded message referencing a connection with federal authorities. This was supported by a statement made by Jones during a conversation from jail, suggesting that one of the men in the car had “received the message” from an inmate.
Despite being incarcerated on unrelated charges of child abuse, Jones was arrested roughly a week after the second murder. Both Carter and Davis were apprehended soon after. Davis was subsequently convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in June. Carter, however, was acquitted.
In an effort to reduce her sentence, Jones admitted to aiding an offender after the crime, leading to a sentence of slightly over 12 years for her role in Lange’s death.
The narrative took an unexpected turn in December 2021, when a Stearns County grand jury charged Jones with first-degree murder related to Harris’ death. During an interview, Jones vehemently denied any involvement in Harris’ demise, highlighting their close relationship. The prosecution chose to drop the first-degree murder charge, proposing a 25-year sentence as part of Jones’ Alford plea to second-degree murder.
Both sentences will run concurrently.
A new development arose in March 2023 when investigations uncovered evidence that Jones had offered $300 to a former inmate for engaging in sexual activity with her husband during her incarceration. This involvement in solicitation was revealed through incriminating phone calls and text messages. Jones subsequently pleaded guilty to prostitution, resulting in a sentence of approximately ten years in prison.
This sentence will be served concurrently with her previous convictions.
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Jones’ charges encompass a range of disturbing actions, such as the fatal shooting of her closest friend, involvement in planning another murder, and orchestrating a concerning interaction while incarcerated. The sentencing, which took place on a Friday, was a consequence of Jones pleading guilty to charges of second-degree murder and aiding an offender-accomplice after the fact.
The unsettling sequence of events began to unfold on June 2, 2021, when St. Cloud police responded to reports of a possible fatality. The lifeless body of Janesa Leshay Harris, aged 28, was found within the apartment. Harris, a resident of the apartment, had been fatally shot in the mouth. Prosecutors contend that an altercation between Jones and Harris took place due to Harris’ expressed wish to sever her ties with Jones.
The next day the body of a woman was found with a fatal gunshot wound to her head at a location approximately seven miles from the initial crime scene. The police noted connections between these two murders, raising concerns of a potential correlation.
The second victim was identified as 25-year-old Keisa Marie Lange. Through a comprehensive investigation, it was revealed that Jones, along with a female accomplice and two males later identified as DeAntae Davis and Kenneth Carter, were involved in picking up Lange, around 7 a.m. on June 3, 2021, as detailed in a criminal complaint.
Subsequent phone conversations intercepted by detectives revealed Jones’ role. According to these conversations, Jones claimed to have driven to a remote location where Davis allegedly shot Lange within the vehicle. Afterward, Jones purportedly instructed her accomplices to remove Lange from the car, saying “Get the bitch out of the car,” cops wrote in the complaint. Carter fired his gun at Lange after she was taken out of the car, the complaint said.
Following the crime, the individuals took steps to conceal evidence. They reportedly went to a residence where they used bleach to clean the vehicle, disposed of communication devices, and burned their clothing in an apparent attempt to evade detection.
Further investigations led to the discovery of the vehicle at Jones’ residence the following day, with traces of blood found in the rear seat. As authorities dug deeper, indications arose that Lange might have been targeted due to suspicions of her being an informant for law enforcement. Clues were found in a discarded message referencing a connection with federal authorities. This was supported by a statement made by Jones during a conversation from jail, suggesting that one of the men in the car had “received the message” from an inmate.
Despite being incarcerated on unrelated charges of child abuse, Jones was arrested roughly a week after the second murder. Both Carter and Davis were apprehended soon after. Davis was subsequently convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in June. Carter, however, was acquitted.
In an effort to reduce her sentence, Jones admitted to aiding an offender after the crime, leading to a sentence of slightly over 12 years for her role in Lange’s death.
The narrative took an unexpected turn in December 2021, when a Stearns County grand jury charged Jones with first-degree murder related to Harris’ death. During an interview, Jones vehemently denied any involvement in Harris’ demise, highlighting their close relationship. The prosecution chose to drop the first-degree murder charge, proposing a 25-year sentence as part of Jones’ Alford plea to second-degree murder.
Both sentences will run concurrently.
A new development arose in March 2023 when investigations uncovered evidence that Jones had offered $300 to a former inmate for engaging in sexual activity with her husband during her incarceration. This involvement in solicitation was revealed through incriminating phone calls and text messages. Jones subsequently pleaded guilty to prostitution, resulting in a sentence of approximately ten years in prison.
This sentence will be served concurrently with her previous convictions.
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Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
