Families fought for justice. More startling developments in a horrific murder. Where youve got something that was this bad somebodys got to pay. Somebody has to pay. Hello, and welcome to dateline. Nona and Kevin Jones were a couple with a bright future. She was a selfconfident 19yearold known for her beautiful voice. He was her devoted boyfriend with big ambitions. Then, a brutal attack and shattered their dreams. It was a crime that would shake a small southern town to its core. And Pit A family against the community they called home. Heres Keith Morrison with what happened to the Beauty Queen . Look at her. Look at the young woman at the heart of our story. You can see how lovely she is. The young Beauty Queen. Can you see her vulnerability . By now your first impression is probably locked in. Its very unlikely to change. And certainly, thats how it was In Russellville, arkansas. Our town were a first impression hardens like a patch of summit. About her and also about for better or worse, the young man accused of killing her. The boyfriend who found the body. The boyfriend found a body. First impressions die hard. Including First Impressions of murder. And years later in the small southern town we had to ask candy ever change. Of course that question is quite obvious now to kevin. Jones but years ago, he didnt care who he impress or didnt. All he knew was this, he was going places. He was from a good family. Lived near a wonderful city near called russellville, and was well liked. Oh, and was adored by one girl in particular. His high school sweetheart, Nona Dirksmeyer. So she was kind of like a soulmate i suppose . Yeah, i was closer to her than anybody else. He was going to marry her someday. She was after all about the prettiest girl in town. Local Beauty Pageants were rounded by her looks employees. They had already crowned her as such. But heres another Troops Truth her boyfriend came to realize. Beauty really isnt anything. Nona was a sometimes troubled girl. Given to bouts of emotional turmoil. Her Mother Carol was grateful to kevin for making her daughter happy. Kevin was a Interested In Helping Nona get through some of these Hard Times she was having. He seemed to be a really caring person. He even brought nona into his own family. His Mom Janice and Dad Hiram treated her as one of their own. She was not a girlfriend. She was our family. But it was when it was time for kevin to go off to college she and nona stayed in touch and in love. Through a wireless world of late Night Cell chats and of checks and emoticons. When he didnt respond promptly, She Wagner finger at him. She would send Text Messages saying, are you still alive . Sarcastically, trying to get my attention. Which is why he was so taken aback that day, a little more than a week before christmas of 2005. It was december 15th. Nona uncharacteristically hadnt reached out to him or answered him since morning. At one point he turned her old taunt back on her texting, you will life . Even then she didnt respond. This was not like nona. Four and a half years we had made a pattern. And thats what we did every day. And that pattern is broken, it just kind of raises a Red Flag in my mind. Why is she network responded . Were you worried . I was concerned. Who knows why things work out the way they do. On that particular night, kevin was supposed to drive his mom, janice, to a christmas party. He remembers being in the car with him. I was said you know, theres a lots of reasons why she might not be answering her phone. Maybe her plans changed. But right now kevin could think of nothing else. He called his Buddy Brian who delivered Peeper Pizza near Nonas Apartment. Asked him to check on. Her and ryan call that was something. Erie nonas was in the law, her House Lights were on, but she was an answer the door. I said okay well im coming over. There they pulled up and ryan was still there. Ryan and i knocked him knock and right through Doorbell And Nobody came. And we started to get a little frantic. So the two men ran around the Condo Tune nonas back door. Kevin says he rushed up to the sliding Glass Door without taking a moment to look inside. So when i was grabbing the handle, Ryan Touch Me and said do you not see her. And i looked at him and said and he said dude there she is. And she was laying in her front room. Nona wasnt moving. Kevin through open the Unlock Door and russian side. Ryan at one point let my mom in the front door. They called 911 pretty soon after that. Her name is Nona Dirksmeyer. Nona dirksmeyer . I straddled her midsection my knees were on the ground above her midsection. He tried cpr. But she was a breathing. In her eyes, usually so luminous, there was no light. There was nothing at all. And i talk to her and just prayed that everything was going to be okay. Until the ems got there. Soon the little apartment was overwhelmed by paramedics, police. It was a long before an officer took having a side. Janice listened as her Sons Voice suddenly rose above the chaos. Then i heard him Cry Out how . Yeah, thats what it was. And he asked them if she was dead . And they affirmed, yes she was. Nona was gone. Nothing kevin could do about it. As he tried to absorb the enormity of what happened, he heard a policeman ask, could he come downtown police. They wanted to know what happened to nona. Coming up, did kevin know what happened . Police seem to think. So you have been in a fight recently or anything . Ive never been in a fight. And watch what happened when police were not asking questions. Oh, my god. Please tell me what am i going to do . When dateline continues. Or powders, try the cooling, soothing Relief Or Preparation h. Because your derriere deserves expert care. Preparation h. Get comfortable with it. Facing collagen thats all hype . 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They had the crime Scene Tape up. The police told carroll it was horribly obvious. Nona had been murdered. They were on the case they told her. In fact, they were already trying to break down nonas last moments on earth. When did you last spoke with her . About 1 00 last night. I called her from my house phone. Questioning the man who may have known her best. You have been in a fight recently or anything . Ive never been in a fight. And Kevin Jones seemed eager to help the Police Figure out who killed his girlfriend. He readily agreed to go to the station that night to answer a few routine questions. What happened . I called her all day and she didnt answer. I thought maybe her phone was just. It was Kevin Kareen from what looked like disbelief to grief. Noah, i love you. To anger. Back again. Couple of questions i want to ask. A few questions turned into many. Did you have a key to the apartment . Yeah. And more pointed. Im not accusing you of anything. Did you hurt her tonight . No, i promise you. I wouldnt. I would never i would i would kill myself before i hurt her. They would leave me alone in the room. They would ask me questions. Oh, my god. Please tell me what am i gonna do . After a while the police told kevin well youre out here. You could go home. They had other people to talk. Two young Men Nona have been seeing well kevin was away at college. But it was a long before the detectives determine the alibis for those other men checked out. And six days later, as he prepared to say goodbye to nona at the funeral home, police asked him to come back to the police station. Can i get a drink of water . You bet. After about 20 minutes where the questions they asked me if i take a polygraph test. What did you say . I said sure. Kevin, im going attach. So they strapped him up and ran through the innocuous questions. And then did you cause the death of Nona But Dirksmeyer . And then they went out analyzed it, came back and said what . The man who gave it to me said that he had not seen anybody feel the test worse in his 28, or some odd years of giving light a tech protests. Kevin, theres No Doubt in my mind that you killed her. The murder of the Beauty Queen was very big news In Russellville. And given the nature of the crime and the victim, so young and pretty and vulnerable, the pressure to solve it from the public and the press was quite intense. So, imagine how it was for the lead detective, Mark Frost, given that this was his very first homicide case. Okay, were done. We are done. Though as he talked to kevin, frost sounded like a veteran who had seen it all. And was disgusted. You did this. No, im telling. You im telling you youre dead wrong. You killed her. Im telling you right here. Point blank. No, im telling you right here. At this point it was really questioning it was more of them yelling at me, telling me that they knew that i did it. Yet the police did to arrest kevin that night. Heres what they did instead. They told Nonas Mother that the young man she thought would be her son in law One Day was in fact her daughters killer. The first thing that i was told was that he was a sociopath. With a narcissistic personality. Nona had been stabbed repeatedly around the Neck And Chest and bashed on the head. The medical examiner said that was what killed nona. The police told carol that this had to been a very personal attack on. Not a something a Stranger Wouldve done, but kevin could have. So now carroll had to shocks to absorb. I knew he had done it. I knew in my heart was something you it was someone she knew. She would never let anyone in the apartment she didnt know. So now, kevins horrifying discovery was subjected to a dark and troubling spin. Detective Mark Frost said that to him, the Crime Scene up their looked staged. And a week later, there was a Press Conference at which the police told the russell public dont worry, we know who committed this crime. Police didnt mention the Suspects Name just then. But it was a long before everybody In Russellville new perfectly well that it was Kevin Jones. This was what appeared in the Russellville Career three months after Nonas Murder. But nonas remains fear. And its Russellville Police to court might request formal charges against one suspect. But hiram its jones is Kevins Father. They tried convicting kevin within 90 days of it happening. If he was a Stranger Walking in a Coffee Shop would you read that . What would you think . It bothered but kevins awful when Bumper Sticker Saint justice for four nona started public coming up. The assumption that i formed, and i think many people formed was that justice for nona meant convict kevin. Topping our news the police make an arrest in the murder of 19 year old arkansas Beauty Queen. On march 31st, 2006, not a long after that career article, police finally did announce the arrest of Kevin Jones for the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer. Whether or Not Kevin was convicted in the Court Of Public Opinion was now apparently irrelevant. He is about to stand trial. Quite possibly be convicted where it really mattered, a court of law. Coming up a Palm Print in blood on the lamp used to kill nona. Guess who . No question it was. His no question it was his. But on another key piece of evidence the dna was some other males. When dateline continues. Duallyadjustable, footwarming, temperaturebalancing. Proven Quality Night Sleep weve ever made. And now, save 1,000 on the new Sleep Number 360 Special Edition smart bed, the small southern city. Plus free Premium Delivery when you add a base. Ends monday a local Beauty Queen murdered. Her boyfriend accused of the crime. It was hard to be In Russellville in 2007 and not be steeped in the story of Nona Dirksmeyer and Kevin Jones. This case probably had more statewide publicity than any criminal case in many, many years. Perhaps ever in arkansas. Yeah scores, kevin had a Right To A Fair Trial and impartial jury. His lawyers argued that would be impossible and a place like russellville. So, the venue was changed to the nearby city of ozark. The Media City is on a Small Would Western as Jury Selection begins. To the prosecutor, the Trials Location mattered little. What mattered was the evidence. And he believed there was enough of that to put Kevin Jones away for years. Jeff phillips was a deputy prosecutor. We believed, i believed that the morning of her death, Kevin Jones came in unexpectedly when the trial opened in 2007, the prosecutor told the jury the reason for this crime was as old as the bible itself. Jealous rage. Kevin jones had walked into his Lovers Apartment that day in december, 2005, and found with and it a cheating heart. While there he discovered either a Text Message from another person and or a used common Condom Wrapper on the counter. And things escalated from there. Escalated out of control. And the prosecutor said with jones repeatedly stabbing nona then crushing her skull with a lap base. He left his Pump Right on the lamps bulb. No question it was his . No question it was. His the defense didnt even make an issue that it was. His but it is what kevin did next the said the prosecutor, that showed how calculating he could be. Kevin lefts he said, with her dead on the floor. And then waited through the afternoon. Until hours later, when he could come back with his Mother And Friend to find nonas body. In my opinion, an intentional attempt to be to have someone else find her but him. Trying to make himself look innocent. If that wasnt telling enough, the prosecutor said, they surely this was. Kevin jones police interview. Right there, the prosecutor told the jury, was Kevins Capacity for violence. In full view. Sitting and listening to this, Kevins Father word how easy it might be four jurors cook to convict dissent. It was just a nightmare. Yet, kevins parents never wavered in their belief that their son was just as innocent as he told the police he was. They even bet the Family Farm on it. We put it up as collateral. And use the money to buy their son the best defense they could. And he needed it. Kevins lawyers knew their client had become the local Poster Boy for evil. When youve got something that was this serious. Is this bad. This girl was brutally murdered. Somebodys got to pay somebody has to. Pay somebody, but Not Kevin, said attorney michael robins. They said the read out of that polygraph to an independent expert who reported that the questions seem designed to make sure kevin fail. The rest of the States Evidence said the defense, didnt wash either. That bloody prompt print on the Light Bulb of the lamp, the murder weapon, Attorney Bill Russell agreed it was kevin sprint. And no wonder it was. Kevin was frantically trying to save his girlfriends life. So of course, he couldve touch the light bill. It is a totally innocent situation. The blood got on the Light Bulb at the time the body was discovered. When hes trying to revive her, youre saying . Yes yes. The emt said the lap was in a foot of the. Body more disturbing, the evidence not collected by the police. Said the defense, the first time homicide effective Mark Frost and the other officers in the department mocked up the case royally. The only area that was fingerprinted was the area around the body that there was blood near the front door. There was blood on the venetian blinds. Empty Condom Wrapper a short distance from the body. The police go upstairs to see if that has been flushed. Do not fingerprint the flush handle at the commode. Dont dna that. Dont dna anything up there. In fact, the defense did its own Dna Testing. On that Condom Wrapper. By the prosecutions account it was a key piece of evidence. The thing that lightly set kevin off on his murderous rage. But think about it, said the attorney kenny johnson. If kevin actually saw The Con rapper, he wouldve picked it up. Would have left his own Dna On it. But we sent the Condom Wrapper to a Lab In and they found the dna. The dna was some other males. Someone else is dna. Not kevins. And probably, said the defense, that condom was used by the color. But who . Neither Defense Nor Prosecution had an answer for that. The dean didnt match anybody in the database. And kevins lawyers did have this. An alibi for their client. Kevins grandmother told the court he couldnt have killed nona, because he was with her. Miles away in the town of dover around the state said nona died. She is a genuine, down to earth, very levelheaded person. She was an incredible witness on the stand. But there was one compelling piece of evidence that for the prosecutions case, said the defense. And they just wanted jurors to see more of it. That Police Video of kevin. She didnt deserve this. She deserved a life. The defense, said jurors, watch all of. It it was betting this image would convince jurors they should change what may have been that first impression. Decide kevin was in the color that prosecutors had painted. But a grief stricken young man, who was innocent. So, what to believe . In the courthouse, the jury wrestled with its verdict. 50 miles down the world In Russellville, the town cried for justice. If that meant conviction, well, so be it. Would jurors convict Kevin Jones of murder . And whose dna was on that key piece of evidence . Coming up i said it matches. He said well it matches Gary Dunn. Who was Gary Dunn . And what if anything did he have to do with Nonas Murder . When dateline continues. Eline continues. It works naturally with the water in your body to unblock your gut. Free your gut, and your mood will follow. Im here and suddenly. My migraine takes me somewhere else. Where theres pain, and nausea. But excedrin pulls me back in a way others dont. And it relieves my symptoms fast for real migraine relief. When Eye Allergens attack, the itch can last 24 hours. But with pataday once daily relief extra strength you get fast, 24hour relief in one drop. Make it a pataday with the drop thats right for you. Now without a prescription. Everywhere. Find your rhythm. Your happy place. Find your breaking point. Then break it. Every emergenc gives you a potent blend of nutrients so you can emerge your best with emergenc. Heres whats happening. Its jockey dedicated his win to his brother who died in 2014 and writing answer. About a dozen fans were allowed to attend with proof of vaccination or negative covid tests. And the first prove ship left venice since the start of the pandemic. Its headed to croatia and greece. The event was attended by Joy Support workers as well as environmental activists waving no big boats flags. Now back to dateline. Ck to Dateline Welcome back to the dateline. Im quiet melvin. Kevin jones was on trial for the murder of his girlfriend, Nona Dirksmeyer. Prosecutors painted kevin as a jealous boyfriend whose bloody Palm Print found at the scene, was evidence he committed the crime. The defense countered that Kevin Left the print while trying to save nonas life. It was chimed him for the jury to decide the young mans faith. Here again is Keith Morrison with what happened to the Beauty Queen . Kevin jones sat in the courtroom and watched the fight for his life swirl around him. And felt in that uncomfortable chair a withering stairs of the jury. They can all look at you and if you do one thing wrong, that they deem is wrong, that might sway them the opposite way. One facial expression one click of a pen. One by off of your fingernail. You never know how people are going to take things that you do. Yeah he had every reason to worry. Later, the jurors would recall how the images of this crime haunted them. Blood all over the pictures. The Palm Print in her blood but to the jurors, the evidence, or lack of it looked bad for police, to. The Glass Door, for example. Where the perpetrator went out was not fingerprinted inside our out. The Kitchen Floor would have been excellent for footprints. He obviously walked across their. No prints were taken. They said, that kind of sloppiness made Them Wonder, what else did the Police Miss . While other suspects . The police claimed that they had checked the alibis of all these potential suspects. As well as they gathered evidence . [laughs] but whats really stuck with them was kevin sitting in the Police Interrogation Room looking to them, genuinely distraught. I felt bad bad. I was watching him in this little cubicle of a room. They agreed, the evidence pointed more to innocence and guilt. After eight hours, they had their verdict. Not guilty. Kevin was free. And normally relieved, of course. But also furious at detective Mark Frost and the russell and the Russellville Police. It frustrates me, angers me, that the police didnt care enough to do their jobs the right way. If historys me that they didnt find the person who did this. Buts Mother Carol, believed his old bereave friend had quite possibly gotten away with murder. If you think Somebody Else did it, why are you out there trying to find . And now who can begrudge a grieving mothers better talents. Certainly not the Jones Family. On the Day Kevin was acquitted, they stood here on the steps of the courthouse and they vowed they would do whatever it took to find nonas killer. Kevins father, hiram, financially wiped out by the cost of the free court case, ask his sons legal team for one more favor. I said this is what ive got. Dont know how much i need. Dont know how i can pay you. But i need this. The lawyers agreed to help. They asked an investigator, this man, to keep working the case. His name is todd stuffy. Hes a parttime policeman and Kevins Hometown of dover just outside russellville. Parttime detective and fulltime preacher. What an odd combination for. All i used to say sales make good. Guy and right away he knew there was a key piece of evidence that demanded a closer look. That Condom Wrapper found in Nonas Apartment. It held somebodys danny, but whos . Steffy wondered if police cleared those male friends and neighbors of nona too quickly in the early days of the investigation. Do you think they have a valid alibi . Because either i missing something or, you know. So i began to feel that some of those people may be needed to have their dna or compared. So kevins legal team rolled up sleeves and slacks and went diving through trash belong to those young men. And they got some dna samples. But none matched the Dna On the Condom Wrapper. Steffy, the policeman, preacher, needed a lead. You could say he needed a miracle. And wouldnt you know, he got it. It came in the most mundane way. Two months after kevins acquittal, and more than a year after Nonas Death, steffy Police Chief told him to question a suspect and recent burglar. A man by the name of Gary Dunn. Steffys eyes widened at that. My my chief said do you know who he is . I said yes. He was one of the neighbors to Nona Dirksmeyer. Gary dunn, a neighbor of nona buts. He was among the handful of men have been questioned then cleared by police. Steffy new that done certainly wouldve had the opportunity to kill. His bedroom will window look directly across the small Parking Lot at nonas bedroom window. Now had to get dunns danny. How do you do that . I asked him for. And he said yes . Basically. I just asked him he fee would be willing to give me his fingerprints and dna samples. If i could rule him out then, were done. There was a problem. To get that Sample Steffy needed the cash strapped Jones Family to pay for. At first Kevins Mother hesitated the test would cost about 600. But the investigator insisted. What did she say . Eventually she just kind of said, something like Oh Shucks its just money. So, she paid for. And what a good investment it turned out to be. Because weeks later, steffy got a call from one of kevins lawyers. The Dna Test were back. And wouldnt you know he said it matches that it doesnt it . He said well, it matches Gary Dunn. The result strongly suggested the Dna On that Condom Wrapper was left by nona s neighbor, Gary Dunn. Now steffy needed to check out Dunns Alibi for the Day Nona was killed. Don had told police he was out shopping with his mother. That was his. Alibi so steffy wet looking for copies of receipts from those stores to back up the allies. So this is the store were supposedly Gary Dunn came to do some shopping . This was one of the places we have to check out in his alibi. The store had boxes and boxes of records receipts, it was the old fashion signed Slip Kind of receipt. Hes not getting. Boxes going back years. Steffy rooted through piles of forgotten paper. How many boxes did you go . Through i have no idea. I dont remember. Hours an hours . I think ive tried to forget. That [laughs] and just when steffy felt it was all a wasted effort, he pulled out this scrap. Did you find it . I found it. I found it. There it was. Our sea that showed gary and his mom were out shopping, all right. On december 13th. Not the 15th when they said they were. When nona was murdered. It was at the same day all . No. In fact, none other seats from the stores were at the mother when they were shopping for that gave him an alibi for the time when nona skill. Percy police and prosecutors did it mention that kevins trial. But now, a new prosecutor was on the case and he found the Dna Results and faulty alibi compelling. And one year after kevins acquittal, Gary Dunn was charged with murder. Many people In Russellville struggle to know what to think. Their first impression was that Kevin Jones murdered Nona Dirksmeyer. Could they believe this list latest arrested was the real killer . In the state of arkansas, who knows. Coming up Gary Dunn was the one on trial. So why did it seem as if Kevin Jones was as well . The first thing you get hit with this is your son is on trial again. Even though hes not on trial. He is. When dateline continues. Line continues breeze drifting on by you know how i feel [man coughing] its a new dawn, its a new day. No matter how you got copd its time to make a stand. And im feelin good start a new day with trelegy. No oncedaily Copd Medicine has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. With three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy helps people breathe easier and improves lung function. It also helps prevent future flareups. Trelegy wont replace a Rescue Inhaler for sudden breathing problems. Tell your doctor if you have a Heart Condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. Do not take trelegy more than prescribed. Trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. 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If youre 55 and up, tmobile has plans built just for you. Switch now and get 2 unlimited lines and 2 free smartphones. And now get netflix on us. Its all included with 2 lines for only 70 bucks only at tmobile. Kevin jones parents have won and lost. They won freedom for their son, kevin, but had lost the young woman they considered a daughter. They wanted justice so badly they spent their last dime to find her killer. They believe their sacrifice finally paid off, when police arrested her neighbor, gary done, for her murder. I believe we committed this crime, that is my belief, based upon what i saw. Dunns trial opened in april, 2010. The state had already tried his son, He Hiram Johns now argued that dunn was a sexually violent young man, who stalking the Beauty Queen whose bedroom we could see across the Parking Lot. His own wife testified he was violent in bed with her, and that weeks before nonnas death, she got him hanging around known as front door in the middle of the night. So said the prosecutor, the jury could be sure that dunn killed nona after entering her apartment with the intent of forcing a sexual encounter, and the Condom Wrapper prove it. His Condom Wrapper that was found, that have the Dna On it, that did not have Kevins Dna on, it it had his Dna On it. So, Dna Evidence a disturbing background, an alibi that turned out to be no alibi at all, in short, it was hard to see how dunns public defenders could argue against their clients lies and dna, but that is exactly what they did. And with gusto. What you are saying is the state was simply wrong . The state was simply wrong. Whats more, they could prove it. For starters, they said the state was not being honest about the Dna On that Condom Wrapper. It was only a mixed, partial match to Gary Dunn they said, which meant many thousands, millions of people are also excluded. Let me ask you then, is what you are saying that Gary Dunn did not touch that Condom Wrapper . That is what we are saying. Gary was nowhere near that Condom Wrapper . While he was across the Parking Lot, in his apartment. Minding his own business when nona was murdered. It is true, the Defense Said Dunn was an out shopping as he first claimed to police, he had simply gotten his days mixed up. It was after all, two weeks after the crime when detectives asked for a detailed alibi. As for receipts, they found receipts, they gave them to the Police Department. Except they were if not for that day. While he cooperated in fall, he gave them what they asked him to do. The defense told jurors it was not Gary Dunns alibi that she questioned anyways. If anything, they said it should look at someone else for Nonas Murder, her old boyfriend. In that moment jones revised with dread just for this trial was headed. First thing he hit with is, your son is on trial again, even though he is not on trial, he is. That is part of the defense that they. Use how right he was. Dunns attorneys tried to persuade the jury that Kevin Jones, the first suspect of the case had one shaky story after another. The 911 call where Kevins Mother is crying . Her name is Nona Dirksmeyer. The defense says Janice Jones and Kevins Friend gave police conflicting details on how they came across nonas body, and what they were doing to savor. It is a lie, they are lying, all three of them. All three of the boys . Kevin is lying, and his mother . Absolute liars, without question. In fact, the Defense Detainees tried to claim, you cannot keep up with the joneses and all of their lies. Even kevins grandmother, who said she was with kevin in another town, the morning of Nonas Death could not be trusted. Kevin Scribe Mother knows that kevin murdered nona . Well i dont know if they know, but they know they are covering for him. The lawyers say Kevin Jones cannot explain one thing away, but bloody Palm Print in Nonas Apartment. It was his and not garry dunn s. Did it work . Yes it did. After three days of deliberations, the jurors said they were hopelessly the judge declared a mistrial. But the prosecutor was not giving up. You probably be filed murder charges, and garry dunns second trial began in 2011. Now, Gary Dunn being trying to second time, after his first trial ended in a hung jury. This time they allow the prosecutor to reveal a very dark fact about Gary Dunn. He was a convicted felon, before nona was murdered. Jurors heard from a woman named Kelly Joe fits harris who happen to have the Grave Misfortune of jogging past gary done on the wrong day, in the wrong place, in 2002. Its a popular trail with runners, but very isolated. Kelly came running by herself from that direction, she saw a man sitting here, on this bench. As she ran up the trail this way, she heard footsteps behind her, turned around and the man had a huge stick, he hit her over the head with it, knocked her down, hit her repeatedly. As he beat her, she relies the only way for her to escape was to wiggle free. So she ran up the chill that way, as quickly as she possibly could, calling for help, pretending there was someone nearby. The police came a little later, they found gary hiding in the water. They arrested him. He spent 18 months in jail. And then, newlyout on parole, he moved into Nonas Apartment complex, Set Up House directly across the Parking Lot, months before Nonas Death, his lawyers admitted it was a blow to their defense. We had to admit it, and not make it any worse. Or, was it already done . This time, jurors knew the man sitting in that chair was not just a man prone to violence, he was a convicted criminal. So, would a Talons First Impression that Kevin Jones murder the Beauty Queen finally be an done . The 12 people who will decide Gary Dunns faith weigh the evidence. Coming up, in the verdict. He does not have no alibi, and that looks really bad. It looks really bad. Will there be justice for nona and her family . I knew that they were waiting to see if they would when dateline continues. Hen dateline continues youll find better laughs at family barbecues. Youll find a better life is in store at miracleear, when you experience the exclusive miracleear advantage. Including innovative technology, like the new miracleearmini. So powerful, yet its nearly invisible. Were so confident we can improve your life, were offering a 30day riskfree trial. Call 1800miracle Today and experience the miracleear advantage. Discomfort back there . Cinstead of using aloe,y and Experience Or Baby wipes, or powders, try the cooling, soothing Relief Or Preparation h. Because your derriere deserves expert care. Preparation h. Get comfortable with it. [ echoing ] some of us were born for this. To protect people. To help them save. With a Home And Auto bundle from progressive. Ahh. I was born for this. And now its prime time. Cut. Jamie, what are you doing . 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The defense countered that the real killer was still on the loose. Nonas Loved Ones waged a fiveyear battle for justice. Was there fight finally coming to an end . Here is Keith Morrison, with The Conclusion of what happened to the Beauty Queen . . This was the third time the state of arkansas had tried someone for the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer. And the second time that Gary Dunn was to be accused. But when they started to deliberate, his jurors were not thinking about second or third. They were thinking, of first. Kevin jones, the first suspect in this case. Were any of you suspicious that maybe it was actually kevin who did this . The whole jury thought in the beginning that it was. He was a high probability it was kevin. Because the defense did a really good job of giving us evidence that it could be kevin. Once again, Dunns Defense had retried Kevin Jones for the murder of Nona Dirksmeyer. The jurors eventually came to peace with that. It was garys trial, when you look at the evidence that is against or before him. Once they did, they were troubled. On the witness stand, that jogger described just how brutally dunn had attacked her, just as nona had been attacked. That was a really big factor in thinking about whether he was guilty or innocent, kind of like everything else. But as it happened to know now, all of those things. It showed that dunn was a brutal man, and also a convicted felon when nona died. He even lied about where he had been that day. He had no alibi, and that looks really bad. It looked really bad. They also talk about the Dna On the Condom Wrapper found in the apartment. Some believe the dna probably did belong to Gary Dunn. But that made Them Wonder as well. If this guy was supposedly so careful to not leave no other dna, or no other fingerprints in this whole Crime Scene, you think he would be smart enough to take the Condom Wrapper with him . So, there it was. Dna evidence against dunn. Interesting, if perhaps not proved. Circumstantial evidence, which was compelling. They took a poll, guilty or not . Several polls, actually. Then, on the last round, they knew that they were finished. They went back to the court room, and looked at nonas family. Coming up, being in front of her parents, but was the hardest thing for me. I was very, it made me very sad, because i knew they were waiting to see if they would be closure. We could not do it, we could not give them closure. Once again, the case of arkansas versus Gary Dunn ended in a hunger jury. A more powerful reason for that . But first impression, among many here at russellville, but it was kevin Who Jones killed Nona Dirksmeyer. In the aftermath of the trial, kevin had a day in court. Not for anything that he did, but for the damage that he says was done to him, by police. They just looked at me and said, he is the one that did it. Kevin jones always believed the police zeroed in on him as the suspect in Nonas Death, and never seriously considered anyone else. You did . This im telling you you are dead wrong. You killed her. Kevin sued Mark Frost, the detective with a case against him, and others as well for withholding evidence. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuits because the statute of limitations had passed. His lawyer, frost denied making mistakes in withholding evidence, and neither the russellville Police Department or prosecutor would comment on the investigation. Meanwhile, kevin has moved on. For reasons, you may understand, he became a criminal Defense Attorney and get this decided to practice law in, of all places, russellville. The last time we spoke, kevin told us he has made peace with the one person who is opinion really does matter to him. Nonas mother. She no longer believes kevin killed her daughter. In fact, she says she loves kevin. As for the others, they are more cynical. He tries not to dwell on what they think, or whisper about him, and the girl he once loved. Nona dirksmeyer, the song bird, the Beauty Queen. The girl for who justice is denied. In 2018, Gary Dunn found himself in handcuffs again, after two incidents that occurred on the same night both unrelated to Nona Dirksmeyer. Dunn pleaded no contest to attempted kidnapping and indecent exposure. He was sentenced to 15 years, barring new evidence, the state does not plan to file charges against him for a third time in the Nona Dirksmeyer killing. That is all for this edition of dateline. Im craig melvin, thank you for watching. Watching im craig melvin. And im natalie morales. And this is dateline. Thats what he was trying to do, protect his family. That is all he ever wanted to do. Even when the man was dying, that is what he was doing. A quiet Family Night at home, shattered by intruders. The gun was right here. A devoted father and husband, dead. She kept saying, they killed him. Someone murdered her husband,