Agents Return Cocoa Murder Suspect To Brevard County
By Space Coast Daily // March 27, 2013
Will Face Judge On Thursday
BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – A man suspected of murdering an elderly Cocoa woman, taking her bank cards and then fleeing in her car will be booked into the Brevard County Jail on Wednesday afternoon.
Officer Barbara Matthews of the Cocoa Police Department said agents from the Brevard County Sheriff’s Department GAMEOVER Task Force have returned to Brevard County from Richmond, Va. with Marcus A. Royal, who turned himself in to Richmond police on March 19.
Matthews said Royal will make his first court appearance on Thursday and will be charged with first-degree felony murder, attempted murder, assault and burglary.
Jones was attacked and killed by an intruder in her home at 1311 North Fiske Boulevard in Cocoa about 8 a.m. March 17 as she was preparing to go to church, Matthews said.
A 58-year-old neighbor heard the commotion and interrupted the crime in progress. He was then attacked and remains in Holmes Regional Medical Center where he is fighting for his life.
Matthews said Royal took off in a 2010 Ford Fusion belonging to Jones and also took her bank cards, which he reportedly tried to use in Titusville and in Seminole County.
Royal was released from the Brevard County Jail less than 24 hours before the murder of Jones.
Matthews confirmed that the medical examiner determined Jones died from blunt force trauma to the head.
