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HARTINGTON - A Laurel woman’s murder case has officially been moved to Madison County.
Cedar County District Court Judge Bryan Meismer issued the ruling Monday morning but had previously alluded to changing venue in the case.
In his ruling, Meismer said there is no question that the potential jury pool in Cedar County is affected by the amount of publicity involved in the case in conjunction with the size of the county.
“The preliminary jury questionnaire indicates that this particular case remains fresh in the minds of the residents here, even two years later,” he said in the ruling.
He said out of an interest of expediency and fairness, and an abundance of caution, the court grants the motion to change trial venue.
Among reasons for choosing Madison County, Meismer said it is a reasonable distance from Cedar County with a larger potential jury pool. Madison County also has facilities to conduct jury selection and house witnesses and attorneys, with multiple courtrooms so other courthouse business will be minimally disrupted during Jones’ trial.
While the case has garnered media coverage in Madison County, Meismer asserted it has been less.
He ordered Madison County District Court to draw 180 names for a potential jury panel. The trial is expected to start next summer and last three weeks.
She is accused of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and being an accessory to murder. Prosecutors say she pushed her husband, Jason Jones, to kill Gene Twiford because of sexually charged statements Twiford directed toward her over several years.
She is also accused of harboring her husband after the murders and disposing of the clothes he was wearing at the time.
Jason Jones was convicted of shooting Twiford, his wife, Janet, and daughter Dana, along with another Laurel woman, Michele Ebeling, and setting their homes on fire on Aug. 4, 2022.
