Psychic says dead man led her to his remains

4/20/2005

For about the last three months, Jess Jones' family has talked with a local psychic and followed up on information they hoped would help them find the missing 37-year-old auto worker.

They'd gone out a handful of times with Gale St. John, finding bits and pieces of information that might help them understand what happened to their loved one.

On Monday, she led them to their most somber find - his body - which was facedown in Silver Creek in North Toledo near a motel where he was staying when he was reported missing Nov. 26.

"I was not wishing to find him that way, but I was wishing to find him so there is some closure for his parents," his brother, Dale, said.

Dr. Diane Barnett, a Lucas County deputy coroner who conducted the autopsy, said she found evidence of drowning, but no evidence of foul play. There was no trauma or broken bones, and his death does not appear to be suspicious. A final ruling is pending toxicology tests.

A missing person report indicates Mr. Jones told his sister Nov. 25 that he was going to kill himself but did not say where he was.

The report states he used crack cocaine and had tried to kill himself previously.

His sister called area motels and found him registered at the Raceway Motel, 5700 Telegraph Rd. His room was vacant and two empty bottles of Tylenol were found, the report states.

The day before, his wife told police he took her purse containing $700 from a cabinet and left their West Toledo residence.

Mr. Jones' family has been cooperating with detectives and giving them leads from the information they've gathered.

Relatives said they believed foul play may have been involved in the death, which remains under investigation.

Ms. St. John was shopping when her eldest daughter called and said she needed to go to the Raceway Park area. Once there, she and her youngest daughter looked around and got more clues.

Then, Ms. St. John said, Mr. Jones touched her shoulder and told her to turn around. When she did, he said, "That's me," she said. She looked down and saw his body.

The professional psychic, who has appeared on Larry King Live and Psychic Detectives, called the family. They met her, confirmed his identity by a tattoo on his back, and notified authorities.

"It was a gut-wrenching feeling, faced with another loss in a six-year period within the inner circle of the family," Dale Jones said.

In 1999, Dale Jones' daughter, Cassie, and Maggie Hayes, both 18, were killed in an accident on Jackman Road at Eleanor Avenue just weeks before their graduation from Start High School.

Dale Jones said his brother was the father of four children, loved NASCAR and the drive-in theater, and was an avid mechanic who worked at the DaimlerChrysler stamping plant in Warren, Mich.

Contact Christina Hall at

chall@theblade.com

or 419-724-6007.