Jury of seven women, five men chosen for Jones murder trial

After five days of examining 42 people, a jury of seven women and five men has been picked to serve on the third double-murder trial of Vaughn Jones.

Just before 5 p.m. Friday, two alternates, both women, were selected. All 14 will be placed in the jury box Monday morning by Superior Court Judge Ken Crow.

Three blacks have been seated. Jones is black. The couple he is accused of killing, Richard and Rosa Flowers, were white.

Both the defense and prosecutor said that jury selection was vital to this third trial. Two previous trials ended with hung juries.

Opening statements by state prosecutor Ann Kirby and defense lawyer Dick McNeil will begin after the jury is seated.

Jones, 40, faces two charges of first-degree murder, a charge of first-degree burglary and a charge of robbery with a dangerous weapon.

The charges were brought against Jones in January 2003, after Rosa and Richard Flowers were both found dead in their Merritt home. A medical examiner said they died of multiple stab wounds.

Jones worked for the couple at their boat company in Merritt. He also did odd jobs around their home for extra money.

Rosa and Richard Flowers' son and daughter, who worked for them, found them the morning after they were murdered.

Rodney and Theresa Flowers both became concerned when their parents, always punctual, failed to show up for work. The couple lived across the road from their business.

Jones was arrested in less than 24 hours by the Pamlico County Sheriff's Office.

The first trial ended with a 6 to 6 impasse. That came in Pamlico County in 2006. The state was seeking the death penalty.

The second mistrial came in Craven County Superior Court last August. In that trial, only seven jurors were convinced that Jones was guilty.

Jones' mother, Virginia Jones, and other family members have appeared in court each day during all of the trials.

The Flowerses' children and other family members have also been in the courtroom during the trials.