Dixie Diner owner's son also arrested in connection to her death
In addition to her grandson being charged with first-degree murder, Dixie Diner owner Paula Clark's son was also arrested on May 19 in connection with Clark's death, Henderson County Sheriff Lowell S. Griffin announced at a press conference on Monday.
The Henderson County Sheriff's Office arrested Clark's grandson, Austin Amos Kennedy Byrnside, 22, of Hendersonville on May 7 for possession of cocaine, identity theft and parole violation. He was later charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with Clark's death.
Griffin announced Monday that Clark's son, Maurice Jones Jr., is charged with conspiracy to commit robbery with a deadly weapon and is being held at the Henderson County Detention Facility with a $100,000 secured bond.
"I don't think my brother had anything to do with my mother's death at all," Clark's daughter Latasha Jones said in an interview with the Times-News last week. "Maybe he led Austin in the house, and Austin did this on his own... I know that my brother would have never had anything to do with anybody killing my mom."
Clark passed away on May 13 after being attacked with the butt of an air rifle and shot in the eye with a BB gun in her home on May 6 at around 2:30 a.m., according to Griffin.
"Clark was well thought of by many in our community," Griffin said.
At the time of death, doctors at Pardee UNC Health Care believed the cause of death to be sepsis brought on by the BB still lodged in Clark's eye becoming infected, according to Latasha Jones. Griffin said in Monday's press conference that an autopsy revealed the BB actually passed through her eye and into her brain, causing brain damage. The brain damage, according to Griffin, is what actually caused her death.
According to public information officer Johnny Duncan, the official autopsy report will likely not be published for a couple months.
When deputies and investigators arrived at Clark's home on May 6 after receiving a 911 call, they were told the assailant was unknown, Griffin said. However, Latasha Jones, who was staying at Clark's home the night of the attack, told the Times-News last week the family immediately identified Byrnside to the investigators.
"I knew when it happened, when my mom came and woke me up. And we told the police that morning," Latasha Jones said.
When asked, Griffin said investigators were "given suppositions" and were "pointed in a direction with no evidence."
Despite several people being in the home, none were able to provide an eyewitness account of the assailant, according to Griffin. The sheriff's office knew Byrnside had outstanding charges, however, and arrested him the next day. He has stayed in police custody throughout the investigation, Griffin said.
The investigators then canvassed the community and discovered "witnesses to different bits of information," which led to the current charges against Byrnside and Maurice Jones Jr. According to Griffin, Byrnside and Maurice Jones Jr. discussed the robbery several days prior.
Both Byrnside and Maurice Jones Jr. have "substantial criminal histories" including drug possession and assault convictions, Griffin said. Byrnside has been convicted of "numerous accounts of assault on a government official" and, according to Griffin, was released from jail in April after serving a sentence for assault with a deadly weapon, inflicting serious injury.
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Dixie Diner owner's son also arrested in connection to her death
