Longtime Homewood resident missing since late October

A longtime Homewood resident has been missing since Oct. 25, and his family hopes the Homewood community can help give them some answers.

Sterling Jones, 68, lived in Rosedale for roughly six decades before moving to Center Point a few years ago, said his son, Noah Jones.

Jones left to go to Mississippi with a man his son said he did not know well, and possibly has a criminal history. The pair, who may have been accompanied by at least one more person, were headed to the Golden Moon Hotel and Casino, Noah Jones said. His father usually keeps large amounts of cash on him and enjoys gambling.

However, Sterling Jones never made it to the casino, his son said. Family members began pinging his phone and were unable to locate him, and, unusually for Sterling, he did not return phone calls or messages.

Sterling Jones runs a business, has a wife and also takes care of chickens he owns, his son said, so going missing is not like him.

Noah Jones said he and his three brothers have reviewed security camera footage at a gas station near the casino, where his father and the other man can be seen. The other man returned to the Birmingham area a few days after Jones went missing, but will not tell the family what he knows, Jones said.

Jefferson County Deputy Chief David Agee said there are people of interest in the case, but no arrest has been made and no charges have been filed, as of Jan. 18.

“Right now, it is a missing persons case,” Agee said.

Noah Jones said his family feels the sheriff’s office is not examining evidence they turn over and not working as hard as they should to find answers about his father’s disappearance. Agee said detectives work hard on every case and they follow up on every tip and piece of information they are given.

There is evidence in the case being processed at the state crime lab, Agee said, and there are “people of interest.” Charges will be filed based on evidence.

Agee added if there was “serious evidence” found in Mississippi, there is enough background information and evidence in Alabama to lead to charges being filed in Jones’ disappearance.

Noah Jones said his family thought about having a funeral, but decided against it as they continue to wait for answers nearly three months after Sterling’s disappearance.

“It’s really hard to put in words,” Jones said. “You don’t know how to mourn or grieve when there’s no answers. … It’s been a weird time. We’ve grieved; we’ve cried.”

Jones said his family needs to know if his father is alive. They’re also afraid that if foul play was part of his disappearance that those involved might be able to cause harm to the rest of the family, he said.

In Rosedale, where Jones grew up and lived in the same home for decades, Noah Jones said there are people that might have information but are not talking.

Anyone with information on the case can call the sheriff’s office at 205-325-5900, Agee said.

Jones is a Black man with gray hair and brown eyes. He is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 160 pounds.