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Graybill and his wife, Jennifer Murphy Graybill, age 28, had been staying in Jackson County at the home of Jeannie O'Connor, Jones's girlfriend, for several weeks prior to the murder. They were apprehended in Salem, N.H., Nov. 2, 1999, at a Red Roof Inn on their way back to Massachusetts.
According to a statement Jason Graybill gave the Salem (N.H.) Police Department, he and his wife initially left Massachusetts after he was investigated for the rape of his wife's younger sister. On his way out of town, Graybill said he stole $5,000 from his employer.
After spending some time at various Florida theme parks in the Orlando area, the Graybills were returning north when their car broke down in Georgia. They rented a car in Macon, Ga., and drove to O'Connoll's residence in Sylva, according to the statement. O'Connell and Mrs. Graybill were friends, investigators said.
"During the following weeks (Jason Graybill) apparently developed a strained relationship with Steve Jones... who appeared to be abusive toward Jeannie O'Connor," the statement reads.
As his funds grew shorter, Graybill used Jones to vouch for him with regard to checks he cashed at Harold's Supermarket.
On the day of the murder, Graybill said he'd made plans with Jones to talk about selling drugs.
"When Jason arrived at Steve's house, Steve was allegedly holding a gun in his hand..." officers wrote in the statement. "Jason stated that at this point he felt a little threatened because Steve was 'acting weird.'"
After spending some time at a local restaurant/bar, the two went driving in the mountains, where Jones is alleged to have shot off several rounds from a .38-caliber handgun, which he then handed to Graybill.
"Jason then admitted to shooting Steve by saying, 'Then I shot him,'" according to the statement.
At the time of his arrest in New Hampshire, Graybill was in possession of Jones's handgun. Test on two of the bullets removed from Jones's body showed they'd been fired from the same gun, prosecutors said.
In addition to pleading guilty to murder, Graybill also pleaded guilty to four counts of obtaining property by false pretenses, charges that resulted from checks cashed at Harold's.
"We're glad (Graybill) admitted responsibility for killing Steve Jones, and we're very appreciative of the Salem, N.H., Police Department for taking his confession," Assistant District Attorney Bob Clark said Tuesday. "This appears to have been a senseless killing that has brought a lot of pain to the Jones family."
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