Ted Jones was supposed to be going to karaoke.
The evening of Nov. 7, 2020, he had planned to drop his son off at his sister’s to enjoy a night out.
Instead, as he arrived at his North Braddock home that afternoon, Jones, 52, was shot and killed during a botched burglary attempt.
His 6-year-old son, who was in his dad’s pickup when the gunfire began, snuck out and hid behind another car. Then he went to his father, took his phone and called 911.
On Tuesday, two of the men charged in the case pleaded guilty to third-degree murder before Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Randal B. Todd.
Both Demontre Rodgers, 21, of Philadelphia, and Jawaun Austin, 22, were ordered to serve six to 12 years in state prison to be followed by five years probation.
A third co-defendant, Duwan Carey, rejected the plea agreement. He asked to fire his defense attorney and represent himself when the case goes to trial.
“What you have taken from my family and from my brother’s son and his daughter … for nothing,” said Jones’ sister, Kristen Jones Nicholas. “You walked away with nothing.”
According to the criminal complaint in the case, the defendants broke into Jones’ home on Beech Street that afternoon.
As Jones and his son arrived home, an unfamiliar Jeep Grand Cherokee was in their usual parking space, and a black safe from inside the house was in the alley, the boy told police.
The men exited the house and shot Jones multiple times.
The suspects fled while the boy called 911.
Tracking dogs located a gun, casings and two black ski masks nearby and another on the front porch railing of Jones’ home, the complaint said.
Investigators also found a print on the safe which matched Austin’s right pinky finger.
During sentencing on Tuesday, Jones’ sister said she and her brother were less than a year apart in age.
He started his own roofing business, Ted’s Roofing and Siding, at age 20 and sponsored several local youth sports teams.
“He did so much for the community,” she said. “If they just would have asked, he would have given anything.”
Jones Nicholas expressed frustration at what appeared to be a lack of remorse from the defendants.
“You have no remorse, no guilt, no shame,” she said. “You took another Black man from his family.”
Both Rodgers and Austin, who were juveniles at the time of the crime, did express remorse in court.
“I’d like to apologize to the family for the past mistakes I’ve made,” Rodgers said. “All I can do is move forward and be a better person.”
Austin said he didn’t have a gun with him that day.
“I didn’t walk outside expecting to be a part of this,” he said. “It was never my intention for anyone to be hurt that day.”
But both Jones’ son and daughter submitted statements to the court about the lasting effects of their father’s death.
Jones’ son, who is now 10, wrote his with his mom.
“[His] life has been irreversibly altered forever,” the boy’s mother wrote to the court. “His every waking minute has been consumed with anxiety, worry and depression. His sense of safety and security is gone.”
She described her son, who was once confident and easygoing, as constantly on edge. He continues to have nightmares and flashbacks despite counseling.
In the statement, Jones’ son described what he saw that day, noting “That is the last memory I have of my dad.”
The boy also told the court that he was expected to take over his dad’s business.
“My mom has his boots for me so I can fill them one day.”