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CHICAGO — A former Chicago woman has been found guilty of murder for her role in the killing of a Naperville man in 2018, according to DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin.
After a days-long trial and 90 minutes of deliberations, a jury found 43-year-old Candice Jones guilty in the murder of Michael Armendariz in January of 2018 and guilty of armed robbery, Berlin said in a news release on Friday afternoon.
According to the State Attorney’s office, Jones helped her son, 27-year-old Ernest Collins, dispose of Armendariz’s body after he and his girlfriend, 26-year-old Cassandra Green, devised a plan to rob him.
Prosecutors say Armendariz was killed by Collins after he was picked up at his Naperville apartment by Green at around 9 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2018. According to prosecutors, Collins, who was hiding in the back of Green’s vehicle, fatally shot Armendariz twice in the back of his head.
Prosecutors say the two drove to the home of Collins’ mother, Candice Jones, who lived in Chicago. After arriving at the home, the three then hid Armendariz’s body in a garbage can inside Jones’ garage. The garbage can was later moved to a vacant home next door.
Prosecutors allege that Collins and Green later stole the keys to Armendariz’s apartment and burglarized it.
Armendariz was found months later and after an investigation, the three were taken into custody in February of 2019.
“This evening, a jury found Candice Jones, the last of three defendants charged in the murder of Michael Armendariz, guilty of first-degree murder,” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin said. “Guilty verdicts, however, cannot bring Michael back to those who loved him.”
Jones is set to return to court on Dec. 18 and faces a sentence of up to 75 years in prison.
Collins was found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery with a firearm in late September and will return to court on Nov. 29, and faces a sentence of up to life in prison. Green pleaded guilty to one count of armed robbery with a firearm in late August and will appear in court on Nov. 13.
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