Just as investigators had suspected, the Port Richmond, Staten Island, Mom apparently did
slash the throats of two of her three children, set their home on fire and then died of smoke inhalation along with her toddler. Autopsy and police reports confirmed the suspicions of police authorities Thursday and labeled the case a murder-suicide.
In the beginning, the case had law enforcement scratching their heads. The July 22nd fire was initially labeled accidental but then it quickly turned into a homicide investigation.
The eldest child, C.J. Jones, 14, who was discovered with his throat slit and a straight razor found under his charred body, was suspected of killing his siblings (Brittany, 10; Melody, 7; and Jermaine, 2), setting the blaze, then taking his own life. Since the teen had a history of setting fires, he was a likely suspect.
Police soon realized that perhaps C.J. was not the social deviant whom they originally perceived him to be. New evidence prompted them to cast their attention toward the Mother, 33-year-old Leisha, a Macy's security guard: A note was found among the charred remains of the home with the scribbled words "am sorry." Then police discovered a diary among the rubble. The handwriting on the note matched the writings in the diary.
Evidence hardened, when the children's father, Earlston Raymond, 39, who lives in Kingston, Jamaica, told investigators, Leisha was quite capable of killing the children and setting the fire. He also mentioned that she had anger issues.
Leisha also had allegedly told a pal several months ago that she thought about killing the kids and torching the house. Toxicology reports revealed the presence of undigested pills in C.J.'s and Leisha's systems. According to a spokesperson for the city medical examiner's office, the slashed throat, and not the pills, contributed to the teen's death.
After putting together all of the evidence, investigators have concluded that Leisha is their prime suspect and she had, in fact, taken her children's lives, then died at her own hands.
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