BLOOMFIELD - The man charged with the murder of a Dexter woman will appear in court for a preliminary hearing next month in Stoddard County Court. Randy Lee Jones, 32, of Dexter, appeared Thursday morning before Circuit Judge Joe Z. Satterfield for an arraignment. Jones is charged with the murder of Lisa Ayers. Ayers’ body was found last week in a soybean field near the Stoddard County community of Frisco. Ayers’ murder is the first in Stoddard County since Valentines Day 2001. Jones, who was cleanly shaven and had a confident look on his face, was led into Satterfield’s cold, bare courtroom at the Stoddard County Justice Center wearing the standard issue orange jumpsuit, socks and orange sandals for his first court appearance. During his appearance late Thursday morning, Jones’ attorney, Public Defender Catherine Rice, moved for a preliminary hearing date that was subsequently set for 1:30 p.m. Oct. 9 Rice declined to comment on the case following the arraignment. On-hand for Jones’ appearance were members of his family, including his mother.

“I am not going to pass judgment until they prove whether or not he did it,” she said. “I don’t think he would do something like that. He was married and lived with a girl for ten years and never laid a hand on her.” Jones is charged with the class A felony of first degree murder of Lisa Ayers. Ayers’ body was found in a field across from the Hopewell General Baptist Church near Frisco. After an autopsy, it was determined that Ayers died from strangulation. According to court documents, the victim was strangled with her assailant’s hands. In addition, public records indicate that the victim was also stabbed with a screwdriver. Also appearing before Satterfield was the only witness to the murder. Tamara Hickling, 37, was arrested on third degree assault charges on Aug. 30 that stemmed from a domestic dispute earlier that week. Hickling is being held on $25,000 cash bond.

According to Stoddard County Chief Deputy Rick Cook it was Hickling that tipped police off on the murder of Ayers, when she accompanied Jones and Ayers on the night of the murder. Stoddard County’s last murder case came on Feb. 14, 2001 when Michael L. Jones was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Glenda J. Harknes. Jones later pled guilty to the class B felony of voluntary manslaughter and was senteced to eight years in prison.