Austin Thomas Jones, 40, faces manslaughter charges in the fatal burglary, which happened July 24 in North Myrtle Beach. The woman, who has not been named, died a few days later on July 28, police said. But this week, after months of investigations, local police revealed a development in the case – saying they have since determined that Jones, who was arrested on the day of the offence, was responsible for the woman’s death. Police immediately ruled the death a homicide — arresting Jones once again Wednesday, setting bail at $2,500. Public records say the shooter, also a resident of the beach town, has been released pending trial for the alleged crime. Police and autopsy reports filed over the summer shed further light on the incident – which ultimately proved fatal for the woman involved. However, the burglary was stopped by arriving authorities who responded to a frantic call from the deceased victim. Austin Thomas Jones, 40, now faces manslaughter charges for the July burglary, which happened months ago in North Myrtle Beach. Police have since determined that through his actions, Jones was responsible for her death Warrants for Jones’ initial arrest show officers were called to the residence on 20th Avenue South – a stone’s throw from the beach. Once they arrived, they found a “very intoxicated” Jones trying to get inside. He was arrested and released later that day Warrants for Jones’ original arrest show officers were called to the residence on 20th Avenue South — a stone’s throw from the city’s scenic beach — on July 24. The call saw the female victim tell dispatchers that a man she didn’t know was punching her back windows and yelling at her, trying to get into the residence. The man, later identified as Jones, was heard screaming on the other end of the line by dispatchers during the phone call. Upon arrival, officers encountered and arrested a “heavily intoxicated” Jones, who said he broke at least one window of the home he was trying to gain access to. Responding officers, who slowly took Jones into custody, noticed the suspect was bleeding from his knuckles. Officers also said Jones smelled of alcohol and had red, bloodshot eyes as they were questioned. Also found on his person were small plastic bags – later found to contain cocaine, less than a gram in total. As officers descended on the residence — located in a normally quiet part of the beach town — they noticed another, more pressing issue besides the disheveled suspect. Public records show the shooter, also a city resident, was released a day after his second arrest Thursday after authorities determined he was responsible for the woman’s death. His bail was set at $2,500, which he posted Friday The woman, after calling 911, went into cardiac arrest — a realization that came when a responding officer noticed that the woman’s breathing was unusually labored even with recent distress. Law enforcement officers asked her to sit down to catch her breath, which she obliged, but she soon became unresponsive, police wrote in their report — with the woman eventually falling from the chair, prompting police to call for a medical team. After CPR was administered, the woman regained a pulse and was taken to hospital, but eventually succumbed to her illness five days later. Despite this, Jones was released just 13 hours after the original offense, record show, with officers dropping both a charge of first-time possession of cocaine – a felony – and another charge of public disorder. Records show Jones was released just 13 hours after the original offense, with officers dropping both the first-time possession of cocaine charge and another charge of public disorderly conduct. On Tuesday, however – months after the original offense – an autopsy conducted by the Medical University of South Carolina found that the woman suffered a heart attack due to “stress caused by the attempted home invasion.” Police subsequently declared the months-long case a homicide and issued an arrest warrant for Jones. He was later located at his home in North Myrtle Beach, which is a 15-minute drive from the late woman’s residence, on Wednesday and booked into the nearby J. Reuben Long Detention Center. However, public records show Jones was released from the center again Friday morning, on $2,500 bail, pending an upcoming trial. Involuntary manslaughter is classified by unintentionally killing another “without malice” but while still engaged in an illegal activity. Jones faces up to five years in prison if convicted of the offense. A date for his possible hearing has not yet been announced. In the meantime, the alleged killer is free to walk the streets.
