Monisha Leath: Polk County man found guilty of murdering wife in 2022
Joseph Leroy Jones (Credit: Polk County Sheriff's Office)
CEDARTOWN, Ga. - A Polk County man wanted for the 2022 murder and strangulation of his wife has been found guilty.
Joseph Leroy Jones, 33, of Cedartown, was convicted of malice murder, felony murder and aggravated assault in connection to the murder of his wife, Monisha Leath.
Prosecutors say Jones admitted to his brothers that he strangled Leath during an argument in Feb. 2022. Her body was never found.
When was Monisha Leath last heard from?
Jackie Leath says she last spoke with her sister, Monisha, on early Feb. 24, 2022.
She tried video chatting with her later, around 5 p.m, but she didn't pick up.
Instead, Leath said her sister's husband called back.
"He called me back on her line off the phone and was saying she was in the store," Leath said.
She said she knew something was wrong just a little later in the day.
"It was like 6:30, I got a call from my niece's afterschool program. They were saying my sister did not come pick up the kids," Leath said.
Jones was arrested on Aug. 3, 2022. He was charged with malice murder, felony murder, murder in the second degree, aggravated assault and aggravated stalking.
Monisha Leath, mother of three
Jackie said her sister's life revolved around her three daughters, and she would never leave them.
"She's like a best friend to her kids. They can talk to her about anything," Leath said.
Georgia officials say there have been less than 10 homicide cases worked and prosecuted in the state in which a body was not recovered. Monisha is one of them.