Grandmother's missed pickup leads to grim discovery in church parking lot

A California grandmother vanished after failing to pick up her grandchild, sparking a desperate search that ended days later with the grim discovery of her body inside her car in a church parking lot and murder charges against her son.

Emmanuel Wesley, 23, of Santa Ana, is charged with murder in the death of his 61-year-old mother, Theresa Jones.

Prosecutors allege he shot her twice in the back while she sat behind the wheel of her vehicle outside the Fullerton Police Department on the Fourth of July before moving her body into the passenger seat and driving away.

Jones' disappearance first raised alarms on July 7 when she failed to pick up one of her grandchildren and stopped answering repeated calls from loved ones, according to prosecutors.

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Theresa Jones' family said the 61-year-old was known for her infectious personality and unwavering devotion to her children and grandchildren. (GoFundMe)

Four days later, on July 11, officers found Jones' body inside her vehicle, which had been abandoned in the parking lot of a church in Fullerton. Prosecutors allege she had been shot twice in the back.

Investigators say surveillance cameras captured the moments surrounding the killing.

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Exterior of the Fullerton Police Department, where investigators say Theresa Jones was fatally shot before her vehicle was driven away. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Video allegedly shows Jones pulling up outside the Fullerton Police Department around 2:46 p.m. on July 4 with Wesley riding in the back seat.

Authorities say Jones suddenly slumped over in the driver's seat before Wesley climbed out of the back seat, pushed her body into the passenger seat, got behind the wheel and drove away.

"The death of any human being is a tragedy," Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said. "For someone to kill their own mother is another level of depravity. We will do everything we can to pursue justice for Ms. Jones and everyone who loved her."

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Theresa Jones is pictured holding a baby in a family photo shared after her death. (GoFundMe)

Jones' family remembered the 61-year-old as a devoted Christian whose faith shaped every part of her life.

"She loved her family fiercely, always putting the needs of her children and grandchildren above her own," the family wrote in a GoFundMe created to help cover funeral expenses. "To know Theresa was to love her."

Loved ones described Jones as smart, funny and full of life, saying her vibrant personality earned her the nickname "Cardi B."

The fundraiser recalls the family's agonizing search after Jones unexpectedly failed to pick up her beloved grandchild, ending with the heartbreaking discovery of her body a week later.

"We want to honor the beautiful life Theresa lived and the immense love she poured into the world," the family wrote. "The shock of her loss has left a profound, empty space in the hearts of everyone who loved her."

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Wesley has pleaded not guilty and remains held without bail in the Orange County Jail.

If convicted of murder and the firearm enhancement, prosecutors say he faces up to 50 years to life in prison.