Jonathan Foster

 

Killing of Houston boy, 12, described as 'drug debt'

Quanell X: 'I believe this case is a drug debt'

Quanell X today said that Mona Nelson, accused of the kidnapping-murder of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster, admitted that she had dumped the boy's burned body in a northeast Houston ditch. But, the Houston activist added, the woman had no motive for killing the child.

Quanell X said he attended Nelson's first court appearance today at the request of her family. Nelson, 44, this morning was advised of her rights by 182nd state District Court Judge Jeannine Barr, then remanded to county jail, where she is being held without bail on a capital murder charge.

Barr appointed lawyer Allen Tanner to defend Nelson. Tanner was not immediately available for comment.

"I believe this case is a drug debt," Quanell X said, adding that he based his comments on an earlier interview with Nelson. "I do not believe she had a motive to kill the boy."

The activist said he anticipates further arrests in the case. "I don't believe this case is solved at all," he said, "and I would urge the public not to rush to judgment."

Harris County Assistant District Attorney Connie Spence said she is "satisfied with the investigation by the Houston Police Department. They did an excellent job."

Still, she said, the investigation is continuing, and she is optimistic a crime lab examination of evidence could develop more evidence.

She said she expects to present Nelson's case to a grand jury in "a couple of months."

Foster disappeared from his family home shortly before 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. His burned body was found near a northeast Houston culvert last Tuesday. Authorities believe he was killed and his body burned elsewhere.

Quanell X said he became involved in the case at Nelson's request. He said Nelson told him the seemingly incriminating burned carpet at her residence had caught fire months ago. "She had called on her landlord to fix it," he said.

Nelson, attired in an orange county jail jumpsuit, quietly listened as Barr apprised of her of her rights. Then, in a low voice, she affirmed that she understood the explanation.

Quanell X, speaking to reporters afterward, said she seemed "weaker physically and mentally."

"I could tell that she was absolutely stressed out," he said. "This has taken its toll."

 

Jonathan Foster

Police: Woman Who Murdered Jonathan Foster May Be Serial Killer

During an afternoon news conference today, Houston Police investigators said Mona Yvette Nelson, the woman charged with capital murder in the death of 12-year-old Jonathan Foster, may be a child serial killer.

Officers said they are investigating whether Nelson may be involved in the deaths of other children.

HPD Homicide Detective Michael Miller described the 44-year-old Nelson as “soulless,” and said the woman had shown an “absolute lack of remorse” for the killing.

“I was one of the detectives to interview Mona Nelson, and I can tell you that she is a cold, soulless murderer who showed an absolute lack of remorse in taking the life of Jonathan Foster,” Miller said.
“There are few cases that impact homicide detectives in this manner, but this is one of them.”

Miller also said Nelson had admitted to dumping the boy’s burned body in the drainage ditch, but continues to insist she did not kill him.

Detectives said their investigation suggested Nelson abducted Foster from his mother’s apartment last Friday afternoon. Witnesses reported seeing Nelson talking to the boy around 12:30 p.m. Miller described Nelson’s actions as “methodical” in the way she stalked the child before kidnapping him.

Nelson then took the fifth-grader to her apartment near U.S. 59 and Laura Koppe, where she killed him and burned the body, according to investigators.

A welder by trade, Nelson apparently used welding torches to burn the boy’s body in her apartment before dumping it in a drainage ditch on Schilder near the Hardy Toll Road. A surveillance camera from the nearby Rolled Alloys facility captured an image of Nelson dumping the body. That surveillance video led detectives to Nelson.

The location where the boy’s body was dumped is about three miles from Nelson’s apartment.

Miller said detectives had recovered “a wealth of evidence” from Nelson’s home.

“Once we arrived at her house, we stumbled into a wealth of evidence; evidence that showed Jonathan’s body was burned at the residence,” Miller said. “Evidence that showed, perhaps, the items that he was burned with; evidence that had us fairly shaken up in collecting it.”

The 14-year veteran homicide detective called the killing of Jonathan Foster “the worst case that I’ve been a part of” and at time struggled to hold back tears during the briefing.

Miller went on to describe Nelson as “bizarre” and someone who “acted alone in this crime of her own disregard for human life.”

He also said he believes Nelson may have killed other children.

“Do I believe she’s done it before? Yeah; I do,” Miller said. “I don’t believe she began and ended with the abduction of Jonathan Foster.”

Authorities have also revealed Nelson has an extensive criminal record dating back almost 25 years. That record includes:

1986: Nelson was convicted of aggravated robbery in Harris County and sentenced to 10 years on prison.

1991: Nelson was arrested by the Border Patrol at a checkpoint in Kenedy County for attempting to smuggle five illegal aliens from Mexico.

1997: Nelson was convicted of theft by check in Daingerfield. That same year, she was also found guilty of theft in Mount Vernon, and served 30 days in jail.

1998: Nelson was arrested for operating a stolen vehicle.

2001: Nelson pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and served 29 days of a 30-day sentence

2002: Nelson was convicted of possession of marijuana in Collin County.

2004: Nelson was convicted of making a terroristic threat in Mount Vernon, Va.

2005: Nelson was convicted of criminal mischief in Mount Vernon, Va.

2006: Nelson was arrested on a battery charge in St. Charles Parish, La.

2008: Nelson was arrested on a charge of assault on a family member in Mount Pleasant.

Nelson remains in jail without bond.

Jonathan Foster

HOUSTON -- A woman has been charged with capital murder in the death of a 12-year-old Houston boy whose badly burned body was found in a ditch this week following his Christmas Eve disappearance.

Mona Yvette Nelson, 44, was arrested Wednesday. She remained in jail Thursday on no bond. Court records did not list an attorney. 

Police say Jonathan Foster, who had been left home alone, was kidnapped from his home on Christmas Eve before being killed and burned.

"Mona Nelson has made what investigators call a self-serving statement, which places her with Jonathan. However, she has not admitted to killing him," Houston police spokesman Kese Smith told the Houston Chronicle. "She is the only suspect."

Homicide investigator Mike Miller said investigators believe Nelson took the boy to her home, where she likely killed him and burned his body.

Miller said that while a search of Nelson's home turned up an "incredible amount of evidence," investigators are still trying to determine a motive.

Jonathan's mother, Angela Davis, said she'd met Nelson only once, on the night of her son's disappearance.

Nelson was friends with Davis' roommate and the boy's frequent babysitter, Sharon Ennamorato, who described Nelson as a friend who used to work in maintenance at an apartment complex across the street from the home.

Davis had moved into the home with Ennamorato on Dec. 14, after she and Jonathan's stepfather split up. Both Davis and Ennamorato had to work on Friday morning, so Foster was to stay home alone till his mother was expected to return in the early afternoon.

While at work that morning, a colleague told Davis her son had called the office and was asking for Ennamorato's number.

Then a woman called back, saying it was an emergency. Davis said that by the time she made it to the phone, the line was dead.

Concerned, Davis called the house phone repeatedly as she drove there, she said. Someone picked up just minutes before she pulled up around 2 p.m.

She said when a woman answered, Davis asked to speak to her son. She heard a woman say: "Is your mama's name Angela?" she said.

And she heard Jonathan say: "Yes ma'am, my mama's name is Angela." Then the phone went dead.

When she opened the door moments later, cartoons were still on the TV, and a game was up on the computer screen. She called for her son, but got no answer.

"The only thing missing in this house is his tan T-shirt with a guitar on it, a pair of jeans, his white sneakers and his black stuffed cat that my grandmother made him," Davis said. "There was no struggle."

Davis said that Nelson stopped by the house that night, telling her that she had come to the house that morning looking for Ennamorato, and that Jonathan had answered the door wearing no shirt, and it seemed like someone was in the house with him.

Court records show that in 1984, Nelson was charged with aggravated robbery. She later pleaded guilty in exchange for 10 years' probation. Her probation was revoked in 1991 and she was sent to prison. The newspaper reports that it was unclear from court records how long she spent in prison.

Murderer: