A former Mountain Home resident accused of killing a Jonesboro woman and then fleeing to Florida will not face the death penalty in that case.
Prosecutors had requested permission to waive the death penalty in the first-degree murder trial of Shawn Gregory Cone, who is accused of killing 50-year-old Alissa Reynolds of Jonesboro in December 2019. On Monday, Circuit Judge Randy Philhours granted that waiver.
Cone is charged with first-degree murder, abuse of a corpse, theft of a vehicle, theft of a credit/debit card, non-financial identity theft, tampering with physical evidence and fraudulent use of a credit card.
Police officers discovered Reynolds’ body on Dec. 8, 2019 while performing a welfare check at the Jonesboro residence she shared with Cone. That check had been requested by a friend of Reynolds after she had not heard from her for several days.
Reynolds’ body was found on a couch under a pile of blankets, having been stabbed to death. Analysis of scene indicated that Reynolds had been dead for a week or more before being discovered.
Cone was quickly identified as a suspect in Reynolds’ death, and his whereabouts were tracked to Key West, Florida. Police there were waiting for him when his plane touched down from Miami. At the time of his arrest, court records show Cone had Reynolds’ credit cards and a list of countries that do not have extradition agreements with the U.S.
In addition to first-degree murder, Cone has been charged with abuse of a corpse; theft of a vehicle valued at less than $25,000 but more than $5,000; theft of $5,000 or less but greater than $1,000; theft of property of having Reynolds’ credit cards; non-financial identity fraud; tampering with physical evidence; and fraudulent use of a credit card. He faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder.
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