SANDY SPRINGS, Ga. — Nearly seven years after the 2018 murder of 71-year-old grandmother Kay Thomasson, her killer, James Christopher Jones, has been sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years.
Jones, 29, was found guilty by a Fulton County jury of all counts related to the murder. Prosecutors say Jones also stole Thomasson’s car, which was later found abandoned at a Chamblee apartment complex.
Thomasson was discovered dead on June 27, 2018, at her home on Old Woodbine Road. Investigators had no leads for two years until crime analysts used geofencing data to link Jones to the victim’s home and vehicle. DNA evidence further confirmed his involvement.
Jones was arrested in July 2020 after being located living in a storage unit in DeKalb County.
Sgt. Leon Millholland of the Sandy Springs Police Department said the conviction brings closure to the community and the victim’s family. “It was pure evil,” Millholland said, noting the crime was a random act, not tied to a domestic dispute or robbery.
The police department and Fulton County District Attorney’s Office worked closely to secure the conviction, with detectives and analysts never giving up on the case.
“This verdict was very emotional,” Millholland said. “It brings satisfaction that justice was served.”
