Missing: Julius TaDarius “Punkin” Jones (MS)

Joquasha Samuel misses the smile of her brother and also his sense of style.

The 15-year-old sister of Julius TaDarius “Punkin” Jones, who has been missing for eight months, Joquasha Samuel misses a great many things from the person she idolized most. She still has a hard time talking about her older brother. The time he has been missing has been a drain on the entire family.

Jones’ mother, Tabitha Jones, knew something was wrong when her son failed to pick up one of his other sisters, Jotoria Jones, to take her to her job. It is a feeling of dread that has haunted her all these months.

“As a mother, I hold out some hope he is still alive, somewhere,” said Jones. “But as a person who knows how the world works, I’m inclined to believe my gut when it tells me he is no longer with us. I have been going back and forth with these emotions ever since he went missing.”

Julius Jones was reported missing on Aug. 14, 2011. His Buick Century was found by Meridian Police Department patrolmen near an abandoned home on 27th Street a couple of days after his reported disappearance. Since that time, officers and detectives have been running down leads.

Thursday, Tabitha Jones talked to officials at the MPD. She said they told her they have exhausted all the leads and the evidence has dried up. It was not the information she wanted to hear.

“I can’t fault anything the police have tried to do in this case,” said Tabitha Jones. “They talked to everyone who had seen my son. They collected all the evidence that was in the case and they have done really good work. It is just there is nothing left for them to go on. No new direction.”

Tabitha Jones hopes a fundraiser for her son will help. On May 5, in Highland Park beginning at 10 a.m., The Life and Love event will take place with free hot dogs, drinks, games for the kids along with singing and praise dancing. It is a community event Tabitha Jones hopes will help in the search for her son. Incidentally, May 5 will be Julius Jones’ 27th birthday.

“It is going to be hard to do this when we should have him home celebrating his birthday,” Tabitha Jones said. “I hope this fundraiser will go a long way in getting the community support behind this and maybe, maybe, some information the police can start on and a new direction will come out of it.”

The official colors for the event will be purple and red. They will be displayed on the fundraising tents that will be erected in the park. Also, a benefit account at Great Southern National Bank in Meridian has been set up to accept donations for the search for Julius Jones. Anyone interested can send funds to Great Southern National Bank, Julius TaDarius Jones Fund, P.O. Box 1271, Meridian, MS, 39301, or call (601) 485-0904 for more information.

Tabitha Jones has sponsors who are willing to help her in her quest for closure in this matter. At her job, people are constantly coming in and asking her if there is anything new, a break in the case, concerning her son. Sadly, and for far too long, she has had to slowly shake her head no.

“No mother should have to go through this but it happens all the time in this world,” Tabitha Jones said quietly. “I wish I didn’t have to.”

[Source]