Man in murder, kidnapping case faces death penalty

<p>The man accused of killing four members of his former girlfriend's family and abducting three of her children may be sentenced to death if convicted.</p><p>Gordon County District Attorney Joseph Campbell said Monday he will seek the death penalty against Jerry William Jones. Campbell said in during a court hearing at Gordon County Superior Court that the circumstances in all four murders qualified Jones for execution.</p><p>A grand jury indicted Jones in September for the killings and kidnappings, which happened about a year ago. Jones has been charged with malice murder and kidnapping.</p><p>Tom and Nola Blaylock were shot to death, and their daughter, Georgia Mae Bradley, and Jones' 10-month-old daughter, Jerri Georgia Jones, were strangled Jan. 7, 2004 at their homes in Ranger in northwest Georgia.</p><p>That day, Jones had fled with the three children of his ex-girlfriend, Melissa Peeler, one of the Blaylocks' daughters. Jones was captured on Jan. 8, 2004 when he wrecked his car just over the Tennessee border and shot himself in the face. The three girls were rescued unharmed.</p><p>Jones made no statement during the hearing. The next hearing will be March 14.</p><p>Jones' court-appointed attorney, Rodney Mathis, said he would be surprised if the trial started within a year. Jones was just beginning to be able to speak because of the self-inflicted gunshot injury to his jaw, Mathis said.</p><p>On Monday, one side of the courtroom was packed with Blaylock family members, many weeping before and after the hearing. Karin Blaylock, a daughter of the slain couple, said the death penalty would be "the easy way out" for Jones.</p><p>"My dad's family has been forgotten," she said.</p>