ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A man pleaded guilty Monday to shooting and killing his girlfriend and her daughter, and wounding two of her other children, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office said.
Joseph Jones, a 43-year-old St. Louis County man, pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder and multiple other crimes in connection with the Oct. 10, 2020, murders of Bernadetta Cooper and her 6-year-old daughter Doryan Bryant.
Family members told 5 On Your Side a confrontation started the morning of the shooting because Jones, Cooper's boyfriend of about eight months, was angry that the home wasn't tidy.
Around 1:30 that afternoon, police responded to a call about a shooting in the 8800 block of Shannon Fox Circle.
Family members believe Cooper was killed, and say Jones then aimed at the children. Wayne said one of Cooper's daughters fought back and potentially saved another sister's life.
The press release from Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell's Office said Jones' guilty plea was accepted despite a mental health diagnosis.
"Though Jones previously had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the court found him competent to face these charges and at the plea hearing Jones said under oath that he was competent to enter a guilty plea," the release said.
In addition to the murder charges, Jones pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and attempted first-degree assault.
As part of the plea deal, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office recommended a sentence of life plus 20 years in prison, which was the sentence issued by the court.
