Timothy Jones, Sr.

Timothy Jones, Sr. testified for the defense on Day 21 about his son's upbringing, family relationships, concerns about parenting and custody, and his own efforts after the children were reported missing. He said he contacted police, Intel, and the school, and later helped law enforcement seek information from his son about the children's whereabouts. The court admitted five family photographs over a relevance objection.

Jones was cross-examined about what he had observed during his son's childhood, adolescence, marriage, separation, and the period after the children were reported missing. He said he had not seen insanity while his son was growing up, while also describing later behavior that concerned him. In defense proffers on Day 21 and Day 29, he described family violence, instability, substance-use and mental-health history, and other family experiences; the court maintained its ruling limiting social-history testimony to the defendant's own life.

In the penalty phase on Day 29, Jones identified family photographs and a pool video, described his son's childhood and the grandchildren's time with the family, and said the loss had changed his life. He told jurors he did not want his son put to death. On cross-examination, he agreed that his son killed the children, said he did not know what caused it, and expressed grief and self-blame. Redirect and recross addressed his contacts with the Solicitor's Office, which he said had not treated him poorly.