Attorney General Bill Schuette, along with Newaygo County Prosecutor Robert Springstead, Newaygo County Sheriff Pat Hedlund, and the Michigan State Police (MSP) announce the convictions by a Newaygo County jury of Matthew Jones, 45, of Grant, and his brother, Paul Jones, 43, of Newaygo, in the 26-year-old cold case murder of Shannon Siders, 18. The case was jointly prosecuted by Schuette’s Criminal Division and Newaygo Co. Prosecutor Springstead.
“Justice may have been delayed for Shannon Siders, but it was not denied,” said Schuette. “Today’s jury verdict means these cold-blooded killers will finally be behind bars.”
“On behalf of Shannon Siders’ family, friends, the investigators and the community, I want to thank the jurors who carefully considered two and half weeks of testimony, from more than 70 witnesses, for their service,” said Springstead. “It took courage to convict the two men who brutally murdered Shannon, but they were up to the task.”
“Law enforcement never gave up on finding Shannon’s killers. The agencies involved in this case worked tirelessly to identify the murderers,” said Hedlund. “Newaygo County has other unsolved homicide cases and as Sheriff, I will make each of these cases a priority. Those killers... should understand that we are coming and will never give up.”
“Many cold cases are solved because the passage of time allows reluctant and fearful witnesses the courage to come forward,” said Detective First Lieutenant Mike Anderson,
MSP 6th District Special Investigation Section. “The investigative team would like to thank the Newaygo County community for telling the truth to bring justice for Shannon.”
On July 17, 1989, 18-year-old Shannon Siders went out with friends for the night. Shannon was last seen alive riding in Paul Jones’ car with his brother, Matthew. When Shannon’s father, who worked midnights, arrived home the next morning and found that his daughter never made it home, he reported Shannon as a missing person to MSP.
Later in 1989, Shannon’s decomposing body was discovered by a hunter in the Manistee National Forest in a place known as “Hole-in-the-Woods.” Her death was ruled a homicide and it was found she was sexually assaulted and beaten before she was killed.
In 2011, a Cold Case Task Force was assembled to reinvestigate the death of Shannon Siders. The task force consisted of members of the Michigan State Police, the Newaygo County Sheriff’s Department and the Newaygo City Police Department.
Matthew and Paul Jones were arrested on June 24, 2014 in Newaygo County. That day, Schuette and Springstead filed one count each of premeditated first degree murder, a felony punishable by up to life in prison without parole, against both Joneses in 78th District Court.
Matthew and Paul Jones were tried jointly, before two separate juries. The juries found Matthew Jones guilty of first degree murder which carries a mandatory sentence of life in prison, and Paul Jones guilty of second degree murder which carries a sentence of up to life in prison. Sentencing has been scheduled before Judge Anthony Monton for June 16.
“The [MSP] Cold Case Team and its... partners look forward to evaluating other area cold cases... to select the next one that will be pursued,” said Anderson.
“I would like to thank [Prosecutor] Springstead, [Sheriff] Hedlund, the Newaygo City Police Department and the [MSP] Sixth District Headquarters for their tireless efforts in helping to secure justice in this once cold case,” said Schuette.
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