Fatal Family Feud

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Fatal Family Feud" – 48 Hours by CBS News
Release Date: July 10, 2025

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Introduction

In the gripping episode titled "Fatal Family Feud," CBS News' "48 Hours" delves deep into the tragic and complex murder of Jared Davidson, a UC Santa Barbara graduate student. Through meticulous investigation and emotional interviews, the episode unravels the tangled web of familial disputes, custody battles, and deceit that culminated in a senseless act of violence.

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The Victim and His Family

Narrator: The episode opens with the harrowing recount of Jared Davidson's murder on July 9, 2004, at approximately 11 PM on Old Mill Road.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 01:11): "On July 9, 2004, at about 11 o'clock that night, I was laying down, getting ready to go to bed. Way off in the distance, I heard what I thought was a high-powered gunshot. It was definitely a distinctive sound."

Jared was found lying on the doorstep of his apartment complex, fatally shot. He was only 27 years old, and his death left a profound impact on his close-knit family.

Jared's Cousin (Timestamp: 02:23): "Jared was incredibly kind and funny. He really was a joy to everybody who knew him."

The Davidson family, comprising Jared's parents, Richard and Susan, his younger brother Michael, and his cousins Courtney and Marissa, grappled with the sudden loss and the ensuing investigation.

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Jared and Kelly's Relationship

Jared met Kelly Jones during their chemistry classes at UC Santa Barbara, leading to a passionate relationship.

Kelly Jones (Timestamp: 06:12): "It was the first day of classes and we were both going to our organic chemistry lab... it was a pleasant surprise."

A year into their relationship, Jared and Kelly married, and shortly after, Kelly discovered she was pregnant with their daughter, Malia.

Jared's Cousin (Timestamp: 07:58): "He was so happy, just so proud and so happy."

However, underlying tensions soon surfaced. Both Jared and Kelly were balancing academic pursuits with parenting, leading to strained interactions and disagreements over custody.

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Custody Battle and Deteriorating Relationship

As Jared and Kelly's relationship deteriorated, a contentious custody battle ensued. Kelly was granted custody of Malia, while Jared had limited visitation rights, which Kelly often restricted.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 09:52): "There were numerous occasions where he had gone to try to pick up his child at her residence and was denied access to the child."

The constant disputes not only strained Jared and Kelly's relationship but also deeply affected the entire family dynamic.

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The Night of the Murder

On the night of Jared's murder, Detective Greg Sorenson was called to the scene. Initial suspicions pointed towards Kelly, given the tumultuous relationship and custody issues.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 10:22): "Instantly, I thought of his ex-wife possibly being involved in this."

Kelly was brought in for questioning but had a solid alibi, claiming she was 90 miles away with her daughter and a friend. However, evidence began to surface that hinted at a more intricate plot involving deceit.

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Breakthrough in the Investigation

A pivotal piece of evidence was the potted plant found at the crime scene, which detectives believed was used as a ruse to lure Jared outside.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 11:27): "Highly unusual to see a plant out on the walkway in this particular location."

Surveillance footage revealed a person in disguise purchasing the plant, matching the description of a female seen fleeing the scene. Initially suspected to be Kelly, further analysis uncovered discrepancies in their alibi.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 12:18): "It looked like Kelly Davidson. Same size, same build and walked similar to her."

However, DNA analysis later revealed that the DNA on the plant cardholder belonged not to Kelly but to her mother, Mindy Jones, shifting the focus of the investigation.

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Arrest and Trial

Six months post-murder, both Mindy and her husband, Philip Jones, were arrested for Jared's murder. Detective Sorenson believed they orchestrated the plot to eliminate Jared, whom they saw as an obstacle in their custody battle.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 22:55): "That's true."

In court, Philip confessed to the murder as part of a plea deal to prevent Kelly from facing severe charges. He claimed that Jared was molesting their granddaughter, Malia, an accusation that was later debunked.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 26:28): "I shot and killed Jared. Mindy and I believed that we needed to do something."

Kelly, despite maintaining her innocence, pleaded guilty to lesser charges and was sentenced to four years in prison, allowing her early release after serving approximately one and a half years.

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Aftermath and Impact on the Family

The Davidson family was left shattered, grappling not only with the loss of Jared but also the betrayal by those they once trusted.

Detective Greg Sorenson (Timestamp: 24:15): "We have relied on psychologists to tell us how to interact with Malia, particularly over this."

Jared's daughter, Malia, now three years old at the time of the murder, faced the trauma of losing her father and the upheaval caused by her mother's and grandparents' actions.

Malia (Timestamp: 24:44): "I don't have a mommy now, and I don't have a daddy, and I'm different."

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Conclusion and Reflections

"Fatal Family Feud" serves as a poignant exploration of how personal vendettas, fueled by custody battles and familial discord, can culminate in irreversible tragedy. The episode underscores the devastating ripple effects such actions have on innocent lives, particularly that of a young child torn between conflicting parental figures.

Phil Jones (Timestamp: 35:34): "I do. It kills me that they get to live and he's gone."

The Davidson family's pursuit of justice remains unfulfilled as they continue to navigate the complexities of grief, loss, and the quest for closure.

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Key Quotes with Timestamps

• Phil Jones (01:11): "Way off in the distance, I heard what I thought was a high-powered gunshot."

• Jared's Cousin (02:23): "Jared was incredibly kind and funny. He really was a joy to everybody who knew him."

• Kelly Jones (06:12): "It was a pleasant surprise."

• Phil Jones (09:52): "He had gone to try to pick up his child... and was denied access."

• Phil Jones (12:18): "It looked like Kelly Davidson... walked similar to her."

• Phil Jones (22:55): "That's true."

• Phil Jones (26:28): "I shot and killed Jared."

• Malia (24:44): "I don't have a mommy now, and I don't have a daddy, and I'm different."

• Phil Jones (35:34): "I do. It kills me that they get to live and he's gone."

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Note: This summary excludes all advertisements, promotional content, and non-essential sections from the transcript to maintain focus on the core narrative and investigative elements of the episode.

Transcript

[Narrator]

This is the way it feels to.

[Jared's Cousin]

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[Kelly Jones]

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[Jared's Cousin]

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[Detective Greg Sorenson]

On.

[Jared's Cousin]

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[Phil Jones]

On July 9, 2004, at about 11 o' clock that night, I was laying down, getting ready to go to bed. Way off in the distance, I heard what I thought was a high powered gunshot. It was definitely a distinctive sound. Within 15 minutes, I got a phone call from my sergeant telling me that somebody had been shot on Old Mill Road. My name is Greg Sorenson. I'm a detective with the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department.

[Narrator]

911, there was a big bang and some guy was screaming, help, Help.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Help. It just sounded like a gunshot. The man was yelling about four or five. I think we need an ambulance and maybe police.

[Phil Jones]

Most of the neighbors were startled by hearing the gunfire. It frightened them. Some of them would not look outside. And those that did saw Jared lying on the entryway and the doorstep of his apartment complex. He had been shot. The victim was Jared Davidson, who was a UC Santa Barbara graduate student.

[Jared's Cousin]

Jared was incredibly kind and funny. He really was a joy to everybody who knew him. He was one of those fun people you just wanted to be around because he made your life better. We're Jared's cousins. We were raised more like brothers and sisters.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Now I need to smile.

[Jared's Cousin]

Jared.

[Narrator]

That's it.

[Jared's Cousin]

Kelly and Jared were both in chemistry and, you know, that's how they met. When Kelly got pregnant, he married her because that is the right thing to do. He went to school full time. He worked full time. He took care of that baby. He did so much. It really was Kelly who decided to leave. She wanted a child and she wanted it all for herself.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

You ready?

[Jared's Cousin]

He cherished his daughter, Malia. Yeah, it was all about her. Everything he was doing at that point was to create a better life for her.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Hey, Malia, can I see your eyes?

[Jared's Cousin]

Where are your eyes? Anytime you throw a penny into a well, or blow on a pussy willow to make a wish. She says, I wish my daddy was here.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Where's your daddy? Yeah, I'm your daddy.

[Phil Jones]

It was one shot that killed Jared Davidson. This was not a random shooting. We noticed that there was a potted plant lying near the doorstep. Had a card that said to my teacher. The plant had been used as a ruse to get him to come out of the apartment. The person who killed him was hiding back in the shadows. There was one person who we focused on.

[Jared's Cousin]

I thought I knew definitely who did it.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Murder comes knocking.

[Jared's Cousin]

When I found out he was murdered, I just kept screaming out, he was so good. He was so good.

[Narrator]

In July 2004, Jarrad Davidson was shot to death outside his apartment in Santa Barbara. He was just 27 years old.

[Jared's Cousin]

It has destroyed a happy, loving family. Our family used to be so filled with joy and laughter.

[Narrator]

Jared's cousins Courtney and Marissa grew up close to Jared and his younger brother Michael.

[Jared's Cousin]

When it's the three of us, when it's our family and he's missing, it hurts. It hurts.

[Phil Jones]

He was someone that I looked up to, that I loved to hang out with, loved to fight with, loved to play with. I lost my best friend.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

This is when we thought we was going to be a businessman.

[Narrator]

The tragedy has scarred everyone in this tight knit family.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I'd give anything to take that day back. I would.

[Narrator]

Jared's parents, Richard and Susan, remember their son as athletic but quiet.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

He was very shy and really very sweet.

[Narrator]

It was not until he was in college that Jared discovered his true passion.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Somehow he got involved in chemistry class and chemistry just became his life.

[Narrator]

And it was in chemistry class where he met Kelly Jones.

[Kelly Jones]

It was the first day of classes and we were both going to our organic chemistry lab. There was a misprint in schedule, so I happened to end up in the wrong room on the right day and he was in the right room on the wrong day.

[Narrator]

About a year after they met, Jared and Kelly moved in together. And not long after that, they had some big news to break to both families.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

We sat down at a table across from each other and immediately he said, the reason you're here is because Kelly's pregnant. And not a heartbeat after that. She said, and I'm not having an abortion.

[Narrator]

Were you trying to get pregnant?

[Kelly Jones]

No.

[Narrator]

This was a surprise.

[Kelly Jones]

This was a pleasant surprise.

[Narrator]

Did you ever wonder if she got pregnant intentionally?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Yes.

[Narrator]

Do you think she did? Yes. Kelly was three months pregnant in January of 2000 when she and Jared got married.

[Kelly Jones]

It was beautiful. The wedding was perfect. I was really happy.

[Narrator]

But from the very beginning, the marriage showed signs of trouble.

[Jared's Cousin]

I remember once after they were married, she started complaining that he didn't squeeze the toothpaste right. And I said, you know what? Me and my boyfriend have the exact same problem. We've decided to buy two separate tubes of toothpaste. You have yours, I have mine. Life will go on. She looked at me like I had said the most ridiculous thing in the world. And she went, no, he just needs to do it the right way. The first time I met her, I said, oh, she's such a nice girl. I'm so happy for Jared. The next time I met her, liked her a little bit less. Next time, liked her a little bit less.

[Narrator]

In July of that year, Kelly gave birth to a girl who they named Malia.

[Jared's Cousin]

He was so happy, just so proud and so happy.

[Narrator]

But those happy feelings didn't last very long. Besides the new baby, Jared and Kelly were both still in school.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Let's go over this one more time.

[Narrator]

And he worked part time teaching. In fact, they both had jobs. So most of the child care fell to Kelly's parents, Phil and Mindy Jones.

[Jared's Cousin]

Kelly thought family was her and her mother and her mother telling her what to do about everything. And Jared thought family was him and Kelli and Malia and them making decisions for their own family.

[Narrator]

Jared and Kellie's relationship continued to deteriorate.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Richard and I said, we're concerned about you. Is everything okay?

[Narrator]

And what did he say?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

No, it's not. I'm not sure what to do.

[Kelly Jones]

He seemed to never be home. It was one thing after another. You know, it was, I need to go to the library and study. I have a test tomorrow. So I kind of felt like a single mom.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

She started making accusations that he wasn't home enough, that he must be sleeping with his study partner.

[Narrator]

Before Malia's first birthday, Jarrett had moved out and filed for divorce. The court awarded Kelly custody and granted Jared visitation. But Kelly made it very difficult for Jared to see his own daughter.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

She controlled when he got to see her, and that was rarely.

[Kelly Jones]

I thought, because I had done most of the care giving, that it might do both of them a little bit of good to take their time and ease into it.

[Narrator]

But over time, things only got worse.

[Phil Jones]

Giddy up.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Yay, Ho.

[Narrator]

Fighting over Malia went on for the next three years. At times, Jared and Kelly both dragged sheriff's deputies into the mess to mediate their visitation disputes.

[Phil Jones]

There were numerous occasions where he had gone to try to pick up his child at her residence and was denied access to the child.

[Narrator]

When Santa Barbara detective Greg Sorenson was called to Jared's apartment the night of the murder, he was already well aware of the family's domestic problems.

[Phil Jones]

Instantly, I thought of his ex wife possibly being involved in this.

[Narrator]

But neighbors had reported seeing two suspicious looking people quickly leaving the apartment complex.

[Phil Jones]

One person was described as a female. Could it have been Kelly? Possibly.

[Narrator]

Kelly was immediately brought in for questioning.

[Phil Jones]

I told her during the course of the interview that he had been murdered. She didn't show a lot of emotion. It wasn't until we had mentioned to her how we were suspicious of the way she reacted to us telling her that he had been murdered. Then she started to cry.

[Narrator]

While she may have had a motive to commit murder, Kelly also had a very strong alibi for that night. Telling detectives she was with her daughter and a friend some 90 miles away from here. Jared's apartment. Her story checked out. Still, investigators were not convinced that Kelly was entirely innocent. Finally, the big break they desperately needed came thanks to, of all things, that potted plant found at the crime scene.

[Phil Jones]

Highly unusual to see a plant out on the walkway in this particular location.

[Narrator]

Detectives believe that someone had knocked on the door, delivering the plant as a gift to lure Jared outside. The plant had been purchased at a nearby store just minutes before the murder.

[Phil Jones]

We acquired some videotape surveillance of the person purchasing the plant.

[Narrator]

A person who appeared to be wearing a disguise.

[Phil Jones]

She's wearing a baseball cap. She's wearing a large baggy sweatshirt.

[Narrator]

That's the same description of the female seen leaving Jared's apartment complex just after the shooting.

[Phil Jones]

It looked like Kelly Davidson. Same size, same build and walked similar to her.

[Narrator]

The investigation was just beginning. It would take nearly five months for detectives to realize this case was anything but simple.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

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[Jared's Cousin]

You know that one friend who somehow knows everything about money?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Yeah.

[Jared's Cousin]

Now imagine they live in your phone. Say hey to Experian, your big financial friend. It's the app that helps you check your FICO score, find ways to save, and basically feel like a financial genius. And guess what? It's totally free. So go on. Download the Experian App. Trust me, having a BFF like this is a total game changer.

[Kelly Jones]

If they're bringing me in for questioning, they must have reason to believe that I'm involved somehow.

[Phil Jones]

I don't think she's as innocent and naive as she tries to make herself look. I truly believe that she was the person that was down here buying that potted plant.

[Narrator]

Detective Sorensen thinks there's more than just this store video that could link Kelly to her ex husband Jared's murder.

[Phil Jones]

He was specifically targeted by somebody who knew about him and knew his background.

[Narrator]

Detectives are convinced that the gift card in the plant that was found outside of Jared Davidson's apartment had his name purposely misspelled.

[Phil Jones]

It looked like the person was trying to disguise their handwriting and disguise their true knowledge of his name.

[Narrator]

That's all a pretty good theory, but it is not hard evidence, which this case badly needed, if ever there was going to be an arrest. Finally, five months after Jared's murder, detectives got another big break. And once again, the potted plant would play a pivotal role. But this time, it was from the plastic card holder, much like this one that was in the plant found near Jared's body. A state crime lab showed us how it discovered female DNA on that cardholder, apparently from someone's hands. This is the first piece of hard physical evidence that you have to work with.

[Phil Jones]

That's true.

[Narrator]

And Detective Sorensen felt pretty sure he knew whose DNA was on the cardholder.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Happy birthday to you.

[Kelly Jones]

Are you gonna go down with me?

[Phil Jones]

We immediately went to Kelly Davidson with a search warrant for her DNA. If anybody had the motive to have this carried out, it was her.

[Narrator]

In trying to build a case against Kelly, detectives decided to focus on her relationship with her parents, Phil and Mindy Jones. You're pretty close with your parents, right?

[Kelly Jones]

Extremely.

[Narrator]

You discuss a lot of things with each other.

[Kelly Jones]

Yes. As far as I was concerned, we discussed everything.

[Narrator]

More than that, investigators quickly determined that Kelly didn't make a move without consulting her parents, especially her mother.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Kelly didn't make decisions.

[Narrator]

Kelly didn't make decisions? No. Who made the decisions?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Mindy.

[Narrator]

Phil and Mindy Jones actively supported their daughter in her visitation and custody fight with Jared.

[Phil Jones]

These are people that you're either with us or you're against us. And God forbid you be against them.

[Narrator]

It became a long and ugly court battle, and Kelly's parents clearly saw Jared as being against them.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

The arrangement was that he would pick Melee up Kelly's apartment, but because Kelly worked late, then he would have to drop her off to Mindy and Phil. Early on, they would call him names.

[Narrator]

Such as to his face?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

No, to Malia's face. She'd take Malia out of the car and say, your daddy's an.

[Narrator]

Sometimes weeks would go by and Jared would be kept from seeing his child.

[Kelly Jones]

They started attacking me in the courtroom, saying that I wasn't cooperating, that I was doing everything that I could to be vindictive and take her away from him.

[Narrator]

And you didn't see it that way?

[Kelly Jones]

No, I didn't.

[Narrator]

But a judge apparently did. In these court documents, a judge condemned Kelly's ongoing refusal to allow Jared to see his daughter. The judge questioned Kelly's honesty and her respect for court orders, strongly suggesting that if she continued to deny Jared visitation, Kelly could actually lose custody of Malia altogether.

[Jared's Cousin]

I think they got very scared that they were going to lose Malia.

[Phil Jones]

Jared Davidson was going to go back to court to try to get full custody of that girl. And that is the last thing that they wanted to have happened. They wanted him out of their lives. They wanted him out of the picture.

[Narrator]

It was just 19 days before that hearing that Jared was murdered.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

And then the last weekend. Nice sweetie in the water, my love.

[Jared's Cousin]

I know.

[Narrator]

Investigators decided to question Phil. He denied any involvement in the killing and told them he couldn't have shot Jarrett because he is physically incapable of holding or firing a rifle. Phil claims he'd been disabled in a nearly fatal car accident back in the early 1980s when he worked as a carpenter.

[Phil Jones]

Phil had painted the picture and told us that his hand was crippled and he couldn't carry anything. They're walking back towards me. You got them, Juan? Well, we decided to put surveillance on them, and just to see how incapacitated he really is.

[Narrator]

They followed Phil and Mindy with hidden cameras, and just look what they found.

[Phil Jones]

See, right here, you can see that Philip picks up a case of what I believe is wine, and it's certainly heavier than a rifle.

[Narrator]

He was flying, right. If Kelly's father was lying about that, Detective Sorensen wondered, what else might he be lying about? Phil and Mindy Jones told investigators they were on a Beach some 90 miles away from Jared when he was ambushed and gunned down. What they didn't realize was their cell phone was tracking their every move, and it indicated they were nowhere near the beach.

[Phil Jones]

The cell site information was telling us something completely different.

[Narrator]

Cell tower records indicate that Kelly placed a call to her parents that night before the murder occurred and that they were actually driving down a highway directly towards Jared's apartment.

[Phil Jones]

Well, that's Very critical. That punches a big hole in their alibi being at the beach.

[Narrator]

But there is still the unanswered question about whose DNA is on that plant card holder. Sorensen is shocked to learn it is not Kelly's. It's her mother's. Mindy Jones, who he now suspects played a pivotal role in Jared's murder.

[Phil Jones]

I believe that Melinda was the one who put the plan together and exactly how they were going to eliminate him.

[Narrator]

So six months after Jarrah Davidson's fatal shooting, his ex mother in law, Mindy Jones is arrested for his murder. Detectives take a closer look at the store surveillance video and now believe it is Mindy, not her daughter Kelly, who was seen buying that potted plant used to lure Jared out of his apartment.

[Phil Jones]

When she checked out of the checkout stand, she had the sleeves of her sweatshirt pulled up over her hands, which appeared to us that she was doing everything she could to cover up possible fingerprints on the pot.

[Narrator]

Apparently, Mindy let her guard down for just one critical moment. A moment caught on just one frame of that store video.

[Phil Jones]

See that? A person appears to reach and grab what we believe was a plastic card holder.

[Narrator]

The moment detectives believe Mindy transfers DNA from her hand to the cardholder. So if not for the DNA, you may not have even been able to make an arrest.

[Phil Jones]

That's true.

[Narrator]

Phil Jones is arrested not long after his wife Mindy. Detectives are now convinced they both murdered their ex son in law. We retraced the steps that detectives believe they took that night.

[Phil Jones]

Melinda went up to the door, placed the plant down at the doorstep, knocked on his door while Philip was about 15 to 20ft away over in the bushes with that high powered rifle, Jared peered out the window to look to see what was outside. He went to get the plant, and at that point, Philip Jones shot and killed him.

[Narrator]

Even though Kelly was nowhere near the crime scene, she is also arrested, though her alleged role in all of this is far from clear.

[Phil Jones]

And I believe that she was involved in the planning of this murder from the beginning. From the beginning.

[Narrator]

At this point, though, there is no evidence to support that. And Kelly and her parents all claim they are innocent.

[Kelly Jones]

The reality of it is I had nothing to do with the death of Malia's father. I did not kill her father.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Hey, Malia, where's your nose? No nose. Malia will not know what a wonderful person her father was. Where's your daddy? How devoted he was to her. Come on down, little munchkin.

[Narrator]

Next to Jared himself, perhaps the most tragic victim of this murder is Jared's little girl, Malia, who is just three years old at the time of the shooting.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

We have relied on psychologists to tell us how to interact with Malia, particularly over this.

[Narrator]

Malia turned 6 in 2006. We agreed not to show what she looked like.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

All right, sweet.

[Narrator]

She has suffered an overwhelming loss. Her father was murdered. Her mother was arrested, as were the grandparents with whom she had spent nearly every day of her life.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

She has said, I don't have a mommy now, and I don't have a daddy, and I'm different.

[Narrator]

Jarrett's parents are now raising Malia and trying to help her deal with this tremendous vacuum in her life.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I think the wisest thing that the therapist ever said to us was, if you treat her as if she's broken, she will be. And to be honest with her, when.

[Narrator]

Jared was murdered, Kelly had told Malia only that a bad man had shot her daddy.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

In her therapy session, she drew a picture of a bad man standing over a body with a gun in his hand.

[Narrator]

Does she know who that bad man is?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

We chose through the coaching of the psychiatrist because she brought that up. She said, well, Papa was the bad man who shot your daddy.

[Narrator]

What was her reaction?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Family don't kill family. What was he thinking?

[Narrator]

17 months after Jarrah Davidson's murder, authorities finally managed to get Philip Jones to confess to the killing. But he does so only when prosecutors agree that his daughter Kelly will not be tried for the murder.

[Jared's Cousin]

It was not easy to hear that she was cutting such a deal. I think she helped planned it. I'm sure she found joy in it.

[Narrator]

The Davidsons go to court to see their son's killer sentenced. But it is a stunningly different Philip Jones they see while in jail, he has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I know that I am dying. And we'll meet with moneymaker very soon.

[Narrator]

Struggling just to breathe, Phil Jones admits he pulled the trigger.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I shot and killed Jared. Mindy and I believed that we needed to do something.

[Narrator]

As part of a plea deal, the judge reluctantly allows Kelly's father to offer his explanation for why he did it.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Sometimes good people do terrible things.

[Narrator]

Philip Jones claims that Jared was molesting Malia and had to be stopped.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

They did a terrible thing in killing Jared Davidson to protect our granddaughter. Jared Davidson did a terrible thing, too.

[Narrator]

The sickening accusation against Jared first came from Kelly roughly four months before the murder. Kelly says she learned of it from Malia.

[Kelly Jones]

I just thought with her going to preschool that maybe she needs to know where it's okay for people to touch her and where it's not the end. I asked if anybody touched her somewhere they shouldn't have. And when she said yes, I said, who? And she said, my daddy does.

[Narrator]

Kelly contacted the authorities and Detective Sorenson was assigned to help investigate what was a very serious allegation. And at first, it seemed there might be something to the charge.

[Phil Jones]

Jared Davidson took a polygraph examination with our department.

[Narrator]

A lie detector test that Sorenson says Jared failed over one key question.

[Phil Jones]

It was a question about inappropriate touching. He was very nervous, which was understandable.

[Narrator]

Because stress can sometimes lead to false results. Jared's parents paid for him to undergo a second privately administered polygraph test, which he passed. Investigators dug deeper and found no evidence to substantiate the claim.

[Phil Jones]

We were not able to find any physical evidence, any corroborating statements, anything that would show that, yes, he did molest that girl.

[Narrator]

Prosecutors refused to take the case.

[Phil Jones]

It was rejected. And it was their belief that there was no molestation. It was fabricated.

[Narrator]

That is also the firm belief of the entire Davidson family, who are horrified by the allegations, believing Kelly made them up for her custody fight. Is Kelly lying about the molestation charges?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Absolutely.

[Narrator]

Richard Davidson, wearing his murdered son's hockey jersey, is allowed to address the court.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Thank you, you, Honor.

[Narrator]

He angrily defends Jared.

[Phil Jones]

We have also seen repeated lies told.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Solely for the purpose of slandering Jared's good name as a sick attempt to justify the defendant's murderous act.

[Narrator]

Perhaps equally outraged is the judge in this case.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Jared Davidson does not have the ability to respond to those allegations because you killed him. You murdered him. This is an execution murder. Line in. Wait. Thank you. Court's adjourned.

[Narrator]

He sentences Phil Jones to life in prison with no chance of parole. Phil is sent here to a special hospice unit inside a California prison. Since his sentencing, it appears for the moment that his health has improved dramatically. Come on over and show us what you have here. In an exclusive interview with 48 Hours, Phil Jones continues to insist Malia was molested.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I know for a fact because she told me.

[Narrator]

He also claims he was very sensitive to what Malia said because he had been a victim of molestation as a child.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I know how it affects people.

[Narrator]

Did you or your daughter ever ask your son in law if he had done this or if there could be any explanation for it?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

No, I did not. I didn't ask him.

[Narrator]

Philip Jones decision to commit murder appears to be based solely on the word of a three year old child.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

What are you doing over there, young lady?

[Narrator]

A child prosecutors are convinced was coached into making the claim.

[Phil Jones]

Maybe Malia might have said something, but three year olds say things that aren't necessarily true and use that as an excuse to go out and murder somebody is outrageous.

[Narrator]

There was no other choice than to shoot this man.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I sure couldn't think of one. I couldn't. I could. I just couldn't. Couldn't come up with anything else. There's Leah in the pool. I wish there had been some other way, but it was my responsibility to protect my granddaughter.

[Narrator]

As he now feels he must protect his daughter Kelly. But what role, if any, did she play in her ex husband's murder? You didn't pull the trigger, but are you just as guilty for the death?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Hey, it's Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. Now I was looking for fun ways to tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it turns out that's very illegal. So there goes my big idea for the commercial.

[Phil Jones]

Give it a try.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Mint mobile.com Switch upfront payment of $45.

[Jared's Cousin]

For three month plan equivalent to 15 per month required new customer offer for.

[Narrator]

First three months only.

[Jared's Cousin]

Speed slow after 35 gigabytes of networks busy taxes and fees extra.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

See mint mobile.com hey, I'm Ben Stiller.

[Phil Jones]

And I'm Adam Scott and we host a podcast called the Severance Podcast where we used to break down every episode of the TV show Severance. Severance isn't back just yet, but the podcast is. Each week we'll discuss the movies, TV.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Shows and ideas that influence the making of Severance.

[Phil Jones]

We're going to talk to the incredible artists who inspire us to do what we do. The Severance podcast returns Thursday, June 26th. Follow and listen everywhere you get your podcasts.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Do you ever find yourself playing the budgeting game? Well, with the name your price tool from Progressive you can find options that fit your budget and potentially lower your bills. Try [e-mail] Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates Price and coverage match limited by state law. Not available in all states. I've been through chemotherapy and radiation treatment and there's nothing more than medical science can do.

[Narrator]

Philip Jones may be living on borrowed time as he begins serving a life sentence for murdering his ex son in law, Jarrod Davidson. Did you know at the time that you had terminal cancer?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I did not.

[Narrator]

So that that didn't factor in your decision at all to kill this man, knowing that you may not be alive?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

No, it didn't. I had no idea.

[Narrator]

But knowledge of his fatal illness probably made his plea deal to be locked away for what life he has left a little easier to accept.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I just confessed and pled guilty in exchange for my daughter being taken out of the equation. She was threatened with life imprisonment, and as everyone knows, there are a lot of innocent people in prison.

[Narrator]

Was your daughter a part of the plot to kill her ex husband?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

No, she wasn't.

[Narrator]

As part of the deal, how do you plead? Kelly is allowed to plead guilty to three lesser charges, but each is still a serious crime.

[Phil Jones]

Accessory to murder and two counts of perjury.

[Narrator]

Outside of courts, Kelly remains quite defiant.

[Kelly Jones]

By entering the plea, I was, in essence, lying in a courtroom. The charges I pled guilty to is that I helped cover up after the fact.

[Narrator]

And did you?

[Kelly Jones]

No, I didn't.

[Narrator]

So why did you agree to the plea?

[Kelly Jones]

Because in my opinion, our justice system is flawed just enough that I couldn't trust a jury. I would be gambling my entire life and Leah's.

[Narrator]

Kelly is sentenced to four years in prison. But with good behavior, she could be out after serving only about a year and a half. An outrage to Jared's father, who told.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

The court, so as for my son's ex wife, to whom I believe personally responsible for the death of my son and for the tormenting him throughout the precious time he had with his daughter, she should receive the maximum sentence permitted by law.

[Narrator]

So with Kelly avoiding a long prison sentence and her father's deal done, that leaves Kelly's mother, Mindy, as the last and perhaps the biggest target of them all. You think Melinda is the mastermind of all of this?

[Phil Jones]

I do.

[Narrator]

Mastermind or not, Mindy refuses a plea deal for herself. She'll take her chances in court. But there's a problem. It seems Mindy can't remember anything. Six months after her arrest, Mindy woke up one morning in jail claiming she had lost her memory.

[Phil Jones]

Yeah, she claimed that she had amnesia and that she had lost her memory and didn't know who anybody was. Very convenient.

[Narrator]

Not for Mindy's attorney, Robert Land here. He says she is completely incapable of assisting in her own defense. Like trying to explain why her DNA was on the plant card holder found at the murder scene.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

She asserts to this day that she doesn't remember what happened.

[Narrator]

And do you believe that?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

It doesn't matter what I believe. That's what she says. I'm not able to look into people's eyes and know whether they're telling the.

[Narrator]

Truth or not compounding matters for the defense. The witness with the greatest potential to.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Harm Mindy, Mr. Jones, please step forward.

[Narrator]

To the witness stand is her own husband, Phil, who is called to testify by the prosecution.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I don't believe I'm going to answer those questions.

[Narrator]

He does his best not to cooperate.

[Phil Jones]

Was your wife with you when you shot Jared Davidson?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

I'm not going to answer that question. I'm not going to answer that.

[Narrator]

But the judge insists he must testify.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

You've been sentenced. You're not at jeopardy. I'm ordering you to respond to the question.

[Phil Jones]

You knew you had to find a.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Way to get him out of the.

[Phil Jones]

House or out of his apartment so that you could use the rifle, isn't that correct?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Yes.

[Phil Jones]

And that's why you went over to.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Fawns and your wife went in to buy the plant, so that you would.

[Phil Jones]

Be able to get Jared to come out, correct?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

So says you?

[Phil Jones]

I'm asking you, sir.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

You're the one who committed the murder.

[Narrator]

The defense had hoped, at worst, to make a case for voluntary manslaughter.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

It's at least an argument for voluntary.

[Narrator]

Manslaughter and not murder, suggesting that, in her mind, Mindy had to kill Jared to protect her granddaughter. But the prosecutor maintained that the family made the whole thing up. And the judge this time refused to allow any mention of the alleged molestation.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

The defense is not available.

[Phil Jones]

If the record reflects that, I ask.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

The court to reconsider. That's fine.

[Narrator]

You were left with very little to defend this woman.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

It was Slim Pickens.

[Narrator]

As Lantier sees it, the truth of whether Jared molested Malia is not even the real issue here.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Whether or not he did it or not is not the question. They honestly held that belief that the child was going to suffer some harm at his hands. It was perhaps misguided and tragic, but.

[Narrator]

Given the tough restrictions from the judge, the defense is left only with the opportunity to hint to the jurors that there is more to the story than they've been told.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Crime is sometimes evil, and sometimes crime is not crime. Sometimes it is justifiable. You and your wife thought you had.

[Phil Jones]

Outsmarted everybody, didn't you?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

No. That's not true.

[Narrator]

Throughout it all, Mindy has maintained she remembers absolutely nothing of Jared's killing, but that she is innocent of the murder charges against her. The jury takes several hours over two days to reach a verdict. You think Mindy orchestrated all of this?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Yes.

[Narrator]

But what do the jurors think?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Verdict? We, the jury, in the above entitled case, hereby find the Defendant Melinda Jean Jones, guilty of the crime of murder.

[Narrator]

In violation of Mindy, shows no reaction to the verdict or the sentence to spend the rest of her days in prison with no chance of parole.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

There's no remorse, there's no regret, and nothing will bring him back.

[Narrator]

Do you think that Phil or Mindy should have been given the death penalty?

[Jared's Cousin]

I do. It kills me that they get to live and he's gone.

[Narrator]

There is no closure or relief for Jared's parents, Richard and Susan, now that Kelly and her parents have all been sent off to prison. Instead, the Davidsons express new fears for their family's safety. Are you afraid of Kelly?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Yes. Foreign this episode is brought to you by LifeLock. Between two factor authentication, strong passwords and a VPN, you try to be in control of how your info is protected. But many other places also have it and they might not be as careful. That's why LifeLock monitors hundreds of millions of data points a second for threats. If your identity is stolen, they'll fix it. Guarantee guaranteed or your money back. Save up to 40% your first year. Visit lifelock.com podcast for 40% off. Terms apply.

[Jared's Cousin]

This message is sponsored by Greenlight. With school out, summer is the perfect time to teach our kids real world money skills they'll use forever. Greenlight is a debit card and the number one family finance and safety app used by millions of families, helping kids learn how to save, invest and spend wisely. Parents can send their kids money and track their spending and saving while kids build money, confidence and skills in fun ways. Start your risk free Greenlight trial [e-mail] Spotify that's greenlight.com Spotify.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

The sense of loss will never go away.

[Jared's Cousin]

He's always missing.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

He's always missing. Jared.

[Narrator]

Jared Davidson's parents and brother feel it is very important for Malia to visit her father's grave.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

And it says that he was a devoted father. Your daddy. He was our son. He was Mikey's brother. That's where his memory is. That's where she can go to be closer to to him.

[Narrator]

Richard feels tremendous guilt.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Sorry I wasn't there for you.

[Narrator]

Convinced he could have somehow prevented his son's murder.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Sign of concern for Jarrett's life, as he describes it.

[Narrator]

He had secretly feared that the Joneses might murder his son to get him out of Malia's life.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

And I didn't share that with he or my wife. And I will live with that guilt for the rest of my life for not sharing that.

[Narrator]

I see the tears and the Emotion, Phil? Is that regret for what you did? Is that.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

No, no, it's. It's thinking about what has happened to my granddaughter and the way that it has affected my entire family.

[Kelly Jones]

They acted on what they thought was in the best interest of my daughter, and I can't fault anybody for that.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Good girl.

[Narrator]

It is thoughts of her daughter that help Kelly keep going. How much do you miss her?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Whoa.

[Kelly Jones]

Don't even think I could describe it. I miss everything about her. She's the reason I got up every morning. She's the reason I went to work. She's the reason I took the deal so I could get home with her.

[Narrator]

And it is Kelly's intense feelings for Malia that have the Davidsons worried about their own safety.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

She's in jail. There are bad people in jail. Our concern is that she develops a relationship that gets us murdered.

[Narrator]

You have a fear of this?

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Yes. Yes.

[Narrator]

As it is, the Davidsons already face a tough challenge. Somehow they have to help their granddaughter piece together her life as she tries to make sense of her father's senseless murder by people she had trusted and loved.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

As she grows up, she'll learn more and she'll understand more, and she'll eventually have the documents to read to draw her own conclusions. Philip Jones died in 2007 while serving his prison sentence. Kelly Davidson was released from prison in 2007. July 17th on Paramount Plus. It's an all new season of adventures. I have to stop this invasion, get into this. This crew is a team.

[Narrator]

We are going to find our way out of this.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Star Trek Strange New Worlds. New season. Streaming July 17th on Paramount Plus. You want to play a real life game of Clue with me?

[Jared's Cousin]

Yes, indeed.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Now streaming on Paramount + we are pursuing the leader of a network of serial killers. It's the new season of the psychological thriller Criminal Minds. Evolution. FBI. The hunt is on. No matter how good you are, no matter how good your team is, you're not good enough.

[Jared's Cousin]

I see.

[Detective Greg Sorenson]

Don't miss the new season of Criminal Minds Evolution. Now streaming on Paramount plus.