DAYTON — The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office is speaking for the first time since arresting a person of interest in the shooting death of a former officer working as a security guard.
Last week, News Center 7 watched as investigators walked Sha’King Jones, 25, from the Sheriff’s office to the Montgomery County Jail. He was named a person of interest in Darnell Pate’s murder but is being held on drug charges while deputies search for more evidence in the killing.
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“All means are being exhausted to keep Jones in custody,” Sheriff Rob Streck said.
Streck told News Center 7′s Kayla McDermott that his office is “confident about his involvement in the planned murder” and believes Jones is a “risk to this community.”
The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office wants more proof before officially charging Jones with murder.
“They are just asking for a few things to kind of shore up the evidence that we presented at this time,” Streck said Tuesday.
When investigators issued a search warrant, they did find some evidence against Jones, including a loaded handgun and methamphetamine. The gun is now being tested in connection to Pate’s murder as well as evidence collected from a stolen car deputies found shortly after the shooting.
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As News Center 7 previously reported, Pate was shot and killed in his vehicle after he left work at Napoleon’s Palace off Germantown Pike.
Still, there could be others besides Jones who were in on the shooting. As Streck previously told us, he believes Pate’s death was a “targeting killing.”
“We do know that this was planned and people were waiting on Mr. Pate to leave the business and go to his vehicle,” Streck said.
As of now, Jones has not said anything to help with the investigation.
Jones’ bond is set at $50,000 and he’s scheduled to appear in court on Friday.
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