Execution Date Set For Convicted Killer Donald Jones

The State Supreme Court has set an April 27th execution date for Donald Jones, who was convicted of the March, 1993, stabbing death of his grandmother in St. Louis after she refused to give him money to buy drugs. Around midnight on March 6th, 1993, Jones went to the home of Dorothy Knuckles, who began lecturing Jones on his use of drugs and alcohol. Jones picked up a butcher block and knives, struck the woman several times with the block, then stabbed the woman when she began to scream. Jones then stole his grandmother’s VCR, whatever money he could find, and her car keys. He later sold the VCR and rented the car to get money to buy drugs. A jury in St. Louis found Jones guilty of murder in June of 1994. He was sentenced to death.