FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS – Fairview Heights Police detained a murder suspect during a traffic stop for expired vehicle registration on May 14, 2025.
At approximately 3:30 p.m., on Wednesday, May 14, Fairview Heights Police Officer Jacob Marino was on patrol when he observed a silver 2012 Chevrolet Traverse with expired registration. The vehicle was stopped, and the driver, who initially did not have identification, provided a name and date of birth. A records check confirmed the driver held a valid driver’s license under that name.
Officer Marino requested a photograph from MECOMM associated with the provided name, which did not match the driver. Upon further inspection, an unsealed bag of cannabis was found in the vehicle, which is illegal in Illinois. The driver was detained and subsequently gave a different name: Joshua W. Jones, age 21.
Further investigation revealed that Jones had an outstanding felony warrant for murder (case #23CF1801) from 2023, issued by the City of Madison, Illinois. He was taken into custody and transported to Fairview Heights detention before being turned over to the Madison Police Department.
Fairview Heights Police Department described the stop as an example of proactive law enforcement removing a violent individual from the community.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
