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A homicide investigation was launched in the death of Malik Jones, inset, whose body was found by family members. (Crime scene screengrab via YouTube/KMIZ; image of Jones via obituary)
A homicide investigation was launched after the body of a 25-year-old missing man was found in the woods off a road in Missouri by his mother and sister while they were driving around looking for him.
The body of Malik Jones was found Wednesday shortly before noon on North Creasy Springs Road in Boone County, the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release.
Jones’ mother, Shawna Patterson, told local NBC affiliate KOMU she and her daughter found the area in Columbia where officials think he had driven his blue Chevrolet Malibu.
“My daughter said, ‘Mom, stop. Back up,’ and I backed up. She got out of the car, and she just immediately started screaming. I jumped out of the car and we saw Malik laying there,” Patterson said. “It’s the hardest thing I think I’ve ever had to do in my entire life. To see my baby, my son, laying there like that.”
His sister Neeka Smith was heartbroken.
“When you find your sibling the way I found my brother, you just can’t imagine it,” she said in a Facebook video, local CBS affiliate KRCG reported. “But I do know that he is in a better place now, and he is going to be OK.”
Police haven’t released much information.
“We are currently investigating this case as a homicide. We’re just real limited on what information were going to put out at this time just due to the investigation. We don’t want to jeopardize anything in any way,” said Capt. Brian Leer with Boone County Sheriff’s Department, according to KRCG.
Jones’ dream was to become a music producer, his obituary said. He attended church, enjoyed playing basketball, and was a Los Angeles Lakers fan.
