Friends of missing Georgia woman, Natalie Jones, are pushing for a grand jury inquiry into her disappearance.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Jones, 28, of Grantville, was last seen on July 4 as she drove away from a friend’s home in Opelika, Alabama, between 10:20 p.m. and 11 p.m. According to her sister, Jessica Bishop, someone sent a text from Natalie’s phone around at around 12:52 a.m. on July 5. It’s the last known message from her Jones’ phone.
“I made it,” the text read.
Bishop previously told CrimeOnline that her sister was at a Fourth of July party with several friends at home off of Riverchase Drive in Opelika, but none of the friends knew where Jones planned to drive to after she left.
Police reportedly tried to access additional information from Jones’ cellphone, but Bishop said there was “minimal activity” available because Jones used a texting app.
Jones’ phone last pinged “from a south tower in Ephesus near Franklin, Georgia,” at 4:40 a.m. on July 5, according to Bishop. Since then, the phone has been turned off, something Bishop previously said was out of character for her sister.
Fox 5 reports that friends are now pushing for a grand jury to investigate Jones’ ex-boyfriend, Jonathan Lawrence, who’s currently behind bars for allegedly putting a hit out on a deputy in an unrelated case.
According to court documents, Lawrence was previously arrested for drug trafficking charges earlier this year but was not behind bars when Jones disappeared. He was wearing an ankle monitoring device at the time, in connection with the charge.
Friends started an online petition, explaining why they want Lawrence investigated more thoroughly.
“On the date of Natalie Jones disappearance, it was well known to Law Enforcement, that her ex-boyfriend, who she had met with the day prior, who was a prime witness in his drug trafficking case, who lived but a scant mile from his home, who he contacted the day of her disappearance … should have been considered a prime person of interest,” a change.org petition reads.
“Monitoring company records show Jonathan Lawrence had not adhered to the Judge’s instructions regarding strict limitations on his travels, while on Court monitored Bond … including odd travels to storage units and a trip 60+ miles from his home … on the day of Natalie’s disappearance.”
Authorities previously said Lawrence’s ankle monitor, that he wore at the time of Jones’ disappearance, didn’t ping in the last known location of Jones’ phone. However, police are considering several people as persons of interest, including Lawrence.
Bishop added that Jones would never willingly leave her children, two sons, ages 11 and 4, and was in good spirits and “hopeful for the future.” Family members are now pushing for additional assistance; they’ve requested the Georgia Bureau of Investigation to take over the case.
Jones stands 5-feet-3-inches tall and weighs 130 pounds. She has brown hair with blond highlights and blue eyes. She has an “Isaac” tattoo on her left wrist, a “Trent” tattoo on her right wrist, and a star diagram tattoo on her back, which spans from shoulder to shoulder on her back. She also has a “Trent” tattoo and a baby footprint on her right foot.
Jones was last seen wearing white shorts, a pink shirt, and black sandals with a bow.
Anyone with information should contact Lt. Dan Boswell at the Heard County Sheriff’s Office at 706-675-3329 or dial 911.
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[Feature Photo: Natalie Jones/Facebook]
