Jury Convicts Flint Teen in 2010 Murder of Elderly Woman

A Genesee County jury has convicted a teenager in the 2010 slaying of a 73-year-old woman in her home in the City of Flint.

Mark Anthony Jones, 17 of Flint, was convicted of murder and five other felony counts related to the November 16, 2010 fatal shooting and robbery of 73-year-old Merlyne Wray at her home on Leland Street on the city's south side. Wray's body was found the next day by her son-in-law in a reclining chair with one bullet wound in her back. Wray's vehicle and other items including her wallet and cell phone were missing.

Around the same time that Wray's son-in-law reported the incident to police, 911 authorities were receiving calls of suspicious activity around a vacant home on Rascob Street near Ballenger and Flushing Roads in Flint. When police responded to those calls, they discovered Wray's vehicle. Further investigation led them to Jones who was hiding at a relative's house.

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton said Jones is the youngest person he has charged with murder and a hearing will need to be held on mandatory sentencing in light of last year's U.S. Supreme Court ruling which declared mandatory life in prison without parole for juveniles unconstitutional. A sentencing date has been scheduled for December 9th.