Former Louisiana Police Chief Found Guilty on Drug Charges; Murder Charge Struck

LOUISIANA, Mo. — Former Louisiana Police Chief William Jones has been found guilty on several drug-related charges, while a second-degree murder charge tied to an overdose death was struck from the case.

Jones had been charged after Gabriel Thone, the brother of Jones’ girlfriend, died of an overdose in Jones’ home. During the second day of trial, testimony from a forensic medical examiner and a toxicologist indicated Thone died from a fentanyl overdose.

According to courtroom updates from Cassie Reporting, the defense argued for an acquittal of the charges, and the judge later struck the second-degree murder charge.

Jones still faced charges involving drug trafficking, possession, stealing, and tampering with evidence.

By late Tuesday afternoon, the judge found Jones guilty of two counts of possession of controlled substances, two counts of second-degree drug trafficking, one count of stealing meth, and one count of tampering with evidence.

The case drew attention because of Jones’ former role as Louisiana police chief and the serious charges that followed the overdose death. Sentencing information was not immediately included in Tuesday’s courtroom update.