Son charged with murder after Fullerton grandmother found dead in church parking lot

Emmanuel Wesley, 23, of Santa Ana, faces a murder charge after prosecutors say he shot his 61-year-old mother Theresa Jones twice in the back while she sat in her car outside the Fullerton Police Department on July 4. Officers found Jones' body inside her abandoned vehicle in a Fullerton church parking lot on July 11, four days after family members raised the alarm when she failed to pick up a grandchild. Wesley has pleaded not guilty and is held without bail in Orange County Jail.

What investigators say the footage shows

Surveillance video, according to investigators, captured Jones pulling up outside the Fullerton Police Department at 2:46 p.m. on July 4, with Wesley riding in the back seat. Authorities say the recording then shows Jones slumping over in the driver's seat. Wesley allegedly climbed out of the rear, moved her body to the passenger seat, took the wheel, and drove away. Prosecutors say she had been shot twice in the back before she slumped.

The murder charge comes with a firearm enhancement. Orange County prosecutors say a conviction on both counts would carry up to 50 years to life in prison.

The four-day search

Jones missed a planned pickup of one of her grandchildren on July 7 and stopped answering calls from family. The silence set off a search that stretched four days, ending on July 11 when Fullerton officers found her vehicle abandoned in a church parking lot, with Jones inside.

Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer called the death of any person a tragedy and described the alleged killing of a mother by her own son as "another level of depravity." His office said it will pursue justice for Jones and everyone who loved her.

How family remembered Jones

Relatives described Jones as a devoted grandmother whose Christian faith shaped her daily life, someone who consistently put her children and grandchildren before her own needs. Family members set up a GoFundMe to cover funeral expenses and described her as smart, funny, and full of life. The GoFundMe says her energy earned her the nickname "Cardi B" among those close to her.

Wesley remains held without bail in the Orange County Jail.