Whitley County woman convicted in 1989 Knox County murder, paroled

A Whitley county woman who, along with her husband, was convicted of murdering two men on August 29, 1989 has been granted parole after 31 years in prison. The woman was originally scheduled to remain incarcerated until 2064, her husband remains locked up. The widow of one of the deceased called the crime “the most gruesome thing done to a human body, I don’t see how they can live with themselves.”

Maxine Jones, 66, was convicted for the murders of Ira Boles of Covington and Walter Davidson from Laurel County. Jones and her husband, Bobby Jones, were each sentenced to 110 years imprisonment in August 1989.

On Monday, August 29, 1988, Doyle and Sue Brooks were driving up Kay Jay Mountain near the Bell County line when they discovered a partially burned car and two bodies. Then Coroner Jerry Garland and Deputy Coroner J.M. Hall responded to the scene along with Kentucky State Police Detectives Grant Adams and Lonnie Fuson.

Investigators quickly went to work building a narrative of what had occurred. Boles was said to have headed south with a woman who knew the Davidson family and that he was planning to buy horses. Joy Sandlin, sister to Mr. Boles, stated at the time that he “was carrying enough cash to buy several horses” the day he was killed. Police said that Boles and Davidson met up in Pittsburgh and left together. The woman who came with Boles remained at the Davidson home with his wife who stated that Davidson had never met Boles before. Boles asked Davidson to ride out to visit some family members. “That was the last time I saw my husband,” said Shirley Cope, Davidson’s widow.

Bobby Jones

As the investigation continued, detectives said they believed that Boles had come south not to buy horses, but marijuana. Boles and Davidson were found to have gone to Saxton after they met; they were visiting Boles’ sister-in-law, Maxine Jones. Jones testified that in the days before the murders, she and her husband had driven around Knox and Whitley Counties “looking for some dope.” Boles and Davidson waited for them at the Jones’ home. Cope, who has since taken another name, says her husband was not involved in drugs in any way.

Jones stated to police that during their search for marijuana her husband obtained $100 from her and used it to buy a .32 caliber pistol. The Joneses returned to their home and, after receiving a phone call, departed with Boles and Davidson toward Knox County on KY 92.

Boles and Davidson were in the front of the car when the Joneses asked them to stop at the top of Kay jay Mountain to wait for someone. Jones said then that shots were fired and that Boles and Davidson were pushed out of the car, adding that her husband kicked Boles as he lay on the ground. The pair then left for Jones’ grandmother’s home. Along the way, Bobby Jones was said to have hidden a bag in some weeds near the road and thrown a gun into a creek in Saxton.

The gun Mr. Jones allegedly threw into the creek was not found by the time the two went to trial. In testimony however, it was stated that the couple retrieved the bag from the weeds a few days later. They purchased $1,400 worth of furniture and a nine-millimeter handgun with two 50 round clips. Mrs. Jones had told investigators she was fearful of her husband and that she had no knowledge of the plan to kill Boles and Davidson. She added that Boles had wanted to buy up to 10 pounds of marijuana and that he was carrying up to $33,000.

Jones’ attorney, Barbara Carnes of Corbin, suggested Jones had been lying, stating Jones originally said she wasn’t on the mountain. Carnes also said that Jones may have been plotting to frame a Knox County man the couple had recently visited as a source of marijuana. Finally, Carnes stated that Jones had confessed to Detective Colin Harrell that she had committed both murders.

Jones later told Commonwealth Attorney Tom Handy that she never laid a hand on Walter Davidson. Handy believed that Jones had lied to police throughout the investigation. An autopsy showed both Boles and Davidson had been beaten as well as shot.

Ultimately Jones was convicted on five counts. Two counts of murder, two counts of first-degree robbery, and first-degree criminal mischief. Bobby Jones was charged with the same crimes as well as a second criminal mischief charge and being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun.

At the time, the Mountain Advocate reported that per legal sources the pair would not be eligible for parole until half of their sentence was served. “With that kind of time, that kind of crime I don’t even see how they were eligible for parole,” said Cope, regarding Jones’ parole. “She’ll face another judge one day,” she added.

The parole issue faced a legal challenge in the early 1990’s according to Commonwealth Attorney Jackie Steele. The ruling in that challenge, not related to the Jones’ case, allowed them to be eligible for parole earlier. Maxine Jones appeared before the parole board in 2000 and 2010 prior to being granted parole this year. Bobby Jones had his first parole hearing this year but was denied, he will be eligible again in 2030.

Story courtesy of Jeff Ledington of the Barbourville Mountain Advocate