What Happened to Court Witness, Iran “Basco” Jones?

Iran Jones

The family of a man who was a witness in a murder trial is worried that he might have become the victim of foul play after he testified in court over a week ago. Thirty-year-old Iran “Basco” Jones had just relocated to Hattieville, after he had shown up to court to testify in a trial for the 2018 murder of Bowen and Bowen employee, Shawn Menzies. Sherlene Gonzalez told us that her son went out to buy food in the village last Tuesday night and never returned home. The information that the family has been receiving since then has been horrid, and all they want is information leading to his whereabouts.

Sherlene Gonzalez

Sherlene Gonzalez, Mother of Iran “Basco” Jones

“We didn’t know that he was a witness to a murder trial.”

Marion Ali

“He didn’t tell you?”

Sherlene Gonzalez

“No, ma’am, because he didn’t live here with me. He didn’t mention anything about a trial. All I know, the one Tuesday – no, it was a Saturday – excuse me, some police officer came here to look for him, to hand him a summons. And they wanted me to receive the summons, and I was asking them what was it about. And they said it was pertaining to my son to show up to court on Monday. They asked me if I would receive the summons. I told them no. I thought it was something that, simple. Nothing but no murder trial. That never even crossed my mind. I know sometimes he has problems with other people out there, so I was thinking, I said, oh well maybe he harassed somebody and he took him to court.

He went to court. He came back and he said to me, he say, I am coming to pick up my girlfriend, Julie. After the trial had finished, he was to relocate because he was fearful for his life. She call me on the Wednesday and she said to me, Mom, ih say, I don’t know how to tell you this. I say, what? I say, tell me. Ih say your son went Tuesday night to get food and hasn’t returned. That’s in Hatteville. The Thursday she came down, I informed her to go and file a police report, and she and my daughter went and did that. After that, Marion, all hell broke loose because bits and pieces started to come in to me. I just want closure, if they kill ah because you di hear bout John Smith Road, you di hear that he’s dead from offa the street. I can’t say anything. I know he’s missing and that’s it. And I ask anybody who have any information, if they know that he’s dead, they don’t have to disclose who they are, just that we could have one proper burial for him. That’s all the family is asking for. They can call me. They can call my daughter because she did an interview. My phone number is 601 3844. Her phone number is 630 5954.”