Alec Jones

FORT DODGE — Following two hours of deliberations Wednesday, a Webster County jury convicted 26-year-old Alec Jones of first-degree murder.

Jones was charged in April with murdering his father, 55-year-old Dennis Jones, and dumping his body in a Webster County ditch. It was mistakenly reported in Wednesday’s story as having been found in Hamilton County.

Dennis Jones’ body was found by a rural Webster County mail carrier.

On Wednesday, Alec Jones remained stoic while the verdict was being read.

But his mother, Shannon Jones, sobbed loudly outside the courtroom and was later removed by law enforcement.

The trial began last week in Webster County court.

Prosecutors rested their case on Monday afternoon. Defense attorneys concluded their case Tuesday. Closing arguments followed juror instructions Wednesday morning.

Brad McIntyre, first assistant Webster County attorney, argued that on April 26, following two hours of denials, Jones admitted to investigators that he shot his father and admitted to carrying a Smith & Wesson 9-mm gun with a flashlight attachment which was seen in video entered into state’s evidence. McIntyre stated Dennis Jones “was hunted and killed by Alec Jones” and referred to text and Facebook messages sent by Jones to his brother, Nathan, that “someone was going to end up dead that night.”

In closing, defense attorney Katherine Flickinger argued that the state had not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt, stating that the gun was consistent with one that was purchased and owned by Nathan, not by Alec.

Flickinger also argued that Dennis Jones had high levels of methamphetamine and amphetamines in his bloodstream, which made him violent, and stated that Alec had previously said that his father attacked him with a hammer and he was defending himself when he shot Dennis three times.

McIntyre finished closing arguments shortly after noon Wednesday by insisting that Alec Jones’ behavior was one of premeditation and malice aforethought.

The jury went into deliberations at 12:35 p.m. and notified the court clerk at 2:30 p.m. that it had reached a verdict.

A sentencing hearing for Alec Jones is scheduled for October 8 at 10 a.m. at the Webster County Courthouse in Fort Dodge.

Jones’ younger brother, Nathan, is scheduled to go to trial September 17, also facing a first-degree murder charge, according to online records.