They were 12 and 13 years old. In 1999, they became the youngest people in American history charged with first-degree murder as adults -- and for years, the reason why was kept out of court entirely.
The Crime
On January 6, 1999, in Port St. John, Florida, near Cocoa Beach, 13-year-old Catherine Fairchild Jones and her 12-year-old brother, Curtis Fairchild Jones, shot and killed Sonya Nicole Speights, their father's 29-year-old girlfriend, with his 9mm semiautomatic handgun while she worked on a jigsaw puzzle in their home. Catherine fired the first shot; Curtis fired the rest until the magazine was empty. The siblings fled into nearby woods and were found by police the next morning.
What Came Out Later
Investigators initially attributed the killing to jealousy, since the children's father had recently announced plans to marry Speights. It later emerged that the siblings had told each other about ongoing sexual abuse by a male relative living in the home, and that Florida's Department of Children and Families had investigated signs of abuse days before the killing but closed the case without action. According to court documents cited by multiple news outlets, Catherine had written in her journal that she planned to kill the relative, her father, and Speights -- believing Speights had allowed the abuse to continue -- but the siblings only carried out the plan against Speights before losing their resolve.
Made History, For the Wrong Reason
A Brevard County judge ordered the children tried as adults, making Curtis the youngest person in US history charged as an adult with first-degree murder. Facing potential life sentences, both siblings pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and were sentenced to 18 years in prison followed by lifetime probation.
Evidence the Jury Never Heard
Because the case ended in a plea agreement, no trial took place and no evidence was formally presented in court. Records that later surfaced showed child welfare investigators had documented signs of abuse against both children in the days before the killing -- evidence their defense never had the chance to present to a jury.
Release and Aftermath
Curtis and Catherine Jones were released from Florida prisons within days of each other in July and August 2015, having served roughly 16 years. While incarcerated, Curtis was ordained as a minister and Catherine married a pen pal. In a 2014 letter to Florida Today, Catherine described anxiety about basic tasks she'd need to relearn as an adult, including driving and building credit -- having spent nearly her entire adolescence and young adulthood in custody.
FAQ
Why were Curtis and Catherine Jones charged as adults?
A Brevard County judge ordered them tried as adults, making Curtis, at 12, the youngest person in US history charged as an adult with first-degree murder.
What sentence did they receive?
Both pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and received 18-year prison sentences followed by lifetime probation; both were released in 2015.
Was the alleged abuse ever presented in court?
No. Because the case ended in a plea agreement, the child welfare records documenting signs of abuse were never presented to a jury.