A woman who ordered her son and his girlfriend to kill a Naperville man and helped hide his body has been found guilty of first-degree murder by a DuPage County jury.
The verdict against Candice Jones, 43, formerly of Chicago, was delivered after 90 minutes of deliberations by jurors, who also convicted her of armed robbery, according to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Jones has been held in the county jail since Feb. 9, 2019, when she was arrested and charged in the death of Naperville resident Michael Armendariz, who was last seen Jan. 14, 2018.
Earlier this month, Jones’ son, Ernest Collins, 27, of Rockford, was convicted of the same charges by a DuPage County jury.
Prosecutors said Armendariz was lured out of his Whispering Hills Drive apartment by Collin’s girlfriend Cassandra Green, 26, of Rockford, a childhood friend of Armendariz who sent him a Snapchat message. After he got into her SUV, Collins emerged from a hiding spot in the rear and shot Armendariz twice in the back of the head.
They then drove to Jones’ home on Chicago’s Southwest Side, placed Armendariz’s body in a garbage can, stored it in Jones’ garage and later moved it to the garage of a vacant house next to Jones’ home, where it was discovered more than a year later, reports said.
Collins and Green allegedly used a key they took from Armendariz to burglarize the dead man’s apartment, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said the crime was allegedly plotted by Collins and Jones at the instigation of Jones, who reportedly told her son, “you’re going to do this.” The murder weapon and other evidence was reportedly recovered from Jones’ home, according to reports.
Jones also threatened Green, telling her she would kill her and her mother if Green told anyone about the killing, reports said.
Green told investigators in a 2019 confession that they tried unsuccessfully to rob Armendariz on at least four occasions prior to Jan. 14 after seeing him in social media photos with drugs and cash.
“The diabolical plot devised by Candice Jones, Ernest Collins and Cassandra Green, and the execution of that plot, left a void in the lives of Michael’s surviving family and friends that will never be filled,” State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement. “I wish them strength as they continue their lives, having replaced Michael’s presence with just his memory.”
Jones’ next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 18. She is facing a prison term of up to 75 years when sentenced.
Green agreed to plead guilty to armed robbery with a firearm in exchange for her cooperation with prosecutors. Her next court hearing is set for Nov. 13.
Collins will next be in court Nov. 29.
