Cocoa Murder Suspect Surrenders In Virginia

By  //  March 19, 2013

Cocoa Police Detectives On Way For Interviews

Cocoa Police have released this surveillance photo of suspect Marcus Royal attempting to use the ATM card of murder victim Faye Jones at a bank in Titusville about an hour after Jones was killed on Sunday. (Image courtesy of Cocoa Police Department)

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA, FLORIDA – The nationwide search for a suspect police believe murdered an elderly Cocoa woman in her home on Sunday morning and then injured her neighbor has come to an abrupt end.

Marcus A. Royal of Cocoa, 33, the suspect sought by police for First Degree Felony Murder, Attempted First Degree Felony Murder and Burglary with Battery in connection with the death of Faye Jones on Sunday, has turned himself in to police in Richmond, Va.. (Image courtesy of Cocoa Police Department)

Officer Barbara Matthews of the Cocoa Police Department said Marcus A. Royal of Cocoa, 33, turned himself in Tuesday morning to police in Richmond, Va.

Matthews said Royal, a convicted sex offender, walked into a Richmond Police station and told authorities he was wanted for murdering a woman in Florida.

Richmond Police are holding him in custody until Cocoa Police detectives arrive and begin court extradition proceedings to bring him back to Brevard County to face justice.

Royal was named as the prime suspect on Monday for the attack and murder Sunday of Faye Jones of Cocoa, 81.

He was sought by police on charges of 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. Sunday as she was preparing to go to church, Matthews said.

A neighbor who has not yet been indentified went to pick up Jones for church and interrupted the crime in progress. He was then attacked and remains in Holmes Regional Medical Center 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 Seminole County.

Royal was released from the Brevard County Jail less than 24 hours before the murder of Jones.

Matthews confirmed Tuesday that the medical examiner determined Jones died from blunt force trauma  to the head.

1 Comment

  1. This animal should have already been sent to prison for life. he had already preyed and attacked other woman/women. He is not fit for society. If he does not get the death penalty, it is futher proof of a weak judicial system.

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