A Missouri man spent nearly 17 years in jail after eyewitness testimony found him guilty of a crime he did not commit
— until police discovered his doppelganger.
Jones was jailed after being found guilty of armed robbery in 1999.
Witnesses said they saw a man wrestle a woman to the ground outside a Walmart in Kansas City, Kan., in an attempt to steal her purse.
No DNA, fingerprint, or physical evidence identified Jones at the scene, but eyewitnesses positively identified Jones as the perpetrator after being shown photos out of a police database.
Witnesses were reportedly unable to get a good look at his face, but remembered he was either Hispanic or light-skinned African American. On the photo lineup, which his attorneys called “highly suggestive,” Jones was the only one who fit the description.
Investigators later found his lookalike, known as “Ricky,” lived in Kansas City, Kan., near the address of the robbery. Jones, however, lived on the other side of town in Kansas City, Mo.
Jones, now a free man, said he is looking forward to spending more time with his children and readjusting to life outside of prison.
-Edited from Inside edition
Witnesses said they saw a man wrestle a woman to the ground outside a Walmart in Kansas City, Kan., in an attempt to steal her purse.
No DNA, fingerprint, or physical evidence identified Jones at the scene, but eyewitnesses positively identified Jones as the perpetrator after being shown photos out of a police database.
Witnesses were reportedly unable to get a good look at his face, but remembered he was either Hispanic or light-skinned African American. On the photo lineup, which his attorneys called “highly suggestive,” Jones was the only one who fit the description.
Investigators later found his lookalike, known as “Ricky,” lived in Kansas City, Kan., near the address of the robbery. Jones, however, lived on the other side of town in Kansas City, Mo.
Jones, now a free man, said he is looking forward to spending more time with his children and readjusting to life outside of prison.
-Edited from Inside edition
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