Cobb Craigslist Killing Suspects Indicted for Murder

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L-R: Jordan Baker, Jonathan Myles, Kaylnn Ruthenberg. Credit: Cobb County Sheriff’s Office

Three men have been indicted on murder charges by a Cobb County grand jury for their alleged roles in the February killing of a Clark Atlanta University student during a botched robbery.

Jonathan Myles, 19, Kaylnn Ruthenberg 18, and Jordan Baker, 18, are facing 11 counts including murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, according to WSB-TV. The three are believed to be responsible for the Feb. 9 murder of James Jones, Jr., 21.

Investigators believe Jones was lured to Marietta by a bogus Craigslist ad for an iPhone 6 posted by the defendants. When Jones arrived at the scene, the defendants robbed Jones of his Nike shoes and shot him as he tried to drive away in his car. Jones was wounded by the initial shooting and crashed his car into a parked vehicle, at which point detectives said that one of the defendants ran to the crashed car and administered a coup de grace.

During a March court appearance, a detective testified that Baker admitted to setting up the deal, while Ruthenberg confessed to being the trigger man.

In the aftermath of Jones’ murder a local man told WSB-TV that he was almost victimized by the same three men when he responded to their Craigslist ad two days prior to the shooting. Thomas Tuffa told the station that once he drove out to the meeting place, something about the deal didn’t feel right and he fled the scene.