Federal authorities are offering a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of a man whose 25-year-old girlfriend was found dead Monday in the trunk of her car, parked in a northwest Baltimore apartment complex.
U.S. marshals obtained a warrant Tuesday night for the arrest of Jermarl Jones, 32, whom they had been tracking on distribution of heroin charges, said Donald Donovan, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal.
Marshals had also been tracking Sintia Mesa, of Prince George?s County, because she was a known associate of Jones, Donovan said.
Authorities arrested Jones on Jan. 3, but he was released from custody on Jan. 5.
“He has not been meeting the terms of his release,” Donovan said.
Jones is charged with possessing two kilograms of heroin worth about $200,000, and he is wanted for questioning in Mesa?s asphyxiation death. Authorities say Jones has four different Social Security numbers he has used.
Mesa went missing in Baltimore County during the weekend, causing detectives to launch a regional search. Federal authorities were not keeping tabs on Mesa at the time because they had halted their investigation after Jones? arrest, Donovan said.
Baltimore County police said Mesa had a nail appointment in Randallstown on Friday and failed to meet with a group that evening as expected.
A person called police after seeing her silver Toyota Solara backed into a parking space in the Brook Crest Way complex on Monday.
Mesa?s sister took her search to the media during the weekend and friends posted Sintia Mesa?s photo on MySpace page, appealing for her safe return. Investigators found Mesa?s cell phone and other personal items Sunday morning in Baltimore County, according to county police.
Baltimore Police Deputy Commissioner Col. Frederick H. Bealefeld III said he couldn?t talk in detail about the investigation into Mesa?s death but said detectives were making progress.
“It?s a highly sensitive investigation,” he said. “There is a ton of movement on that case, and I?m confident it?s going to go down.”
