Naman Shrestha
The episode titled ‘Torso’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Homicide Hunter: American Detective’ covers the gruesome murders of a mother and her daughter — Eva Jo Jones and Tiffany Cartwright. The haunting manner of their death sent shockwaves across the entire community while their family and friends slipped into a state of grief. As the investigators dug deep into the personal lives of the victims, they discovered some unsettling truths that might be the cause of their demise. The episode also features exclusive and in-depth interviews with the loved ones of the victims and the officials connected to the case.
Eva Jo Jones and Tiffany Cartwright Did Not Return Home After Their Trip to Myrtle Beach
On January 29, 1957, Eva Jo Sheline Jones was brought into the world by her loving parents, Elmer Clyde and Allie Edna Adams, in Columbus, Ohio. People who knew her described her as a kind soul for whom honesty was the best policy. Her friendly nature allowed her to gel with others and make friends quite easily. In order to run the household, she worked in a local law office as a clerical worker. She also embraced the responsibilities of being a mother when she gave birth to two daughters, Sara Harmon and Tiffany Cartwright. The latter was born on February 6, 1982, in Columbus, Ohio, with her father being the late David Cartwright.
After completing her education, Tiffany Renee Cartwright landed a job as a custodian for the Holly Tree School. Like mother, like daughter, she too turned out to be a devoted mother to her three children, Mackenzie, Corey, and Serenity. By 1992, Eva and Tiffany resided in the small suburb of Goodyear Heights in Akron, Ohio. Fast forward to 2017, 60-year-old Eva and 35-year-old Tiffany disappeared in early April, and when they did not show up at Life Community Church at Independence Mall on April 2, their friends grew concerned and reported them missing the following day.
When Eva and Tiffany’s Burned Remains Turned Up, Homicide Investigation Ensued
Once the cops got involved in the investigation of the missing women, they came across two burnt and dismembered bodies on Silver Spoon Road in Columbus County around 9:15 pm on April 3. After certain tests, they were identified as the bodies of the two missing women. The authorities declared the fire an arson, and the missing persons case turned into a double homicide. In order to help with the funeral arrangements of the two victims, a GoFundMe page was set up by their family members. Upon digging deeper into the case by interviewing the family and friends of Eva Jo Jones and Tiffany Cartwright, the detectives learned that the latter’s sister and Eva’s second daughter, Sara Harmon, had also moved to Ohio following her separation from her husband, Jeffery Harmon, at the time.
So, to retrieve some of her belongings from the estranged husband, Eva and Tiffany planned to visit his Surfside Beach residence on March 31, 2017. The next day, both their cellphones were pinged in Myrtle Beach, which proved that they had made the trip according to their plan. However, they never returned home after their trip. Without any delay, the investigators then inspected Eva and Tiffany’s Cameron Court residence. There, they found reddish stains on the dining room carpet, which seemed freshly cleaned as it was still a bit wet. When the same kind of stains showed up on a table leg, things started to get a lot more suspicious.
Jeffery Harmon Was Found Dead in His House
While they were still searching for the prime suspect, Jeffery Harmon, the police were called to Leo Drive in Surfside Beach around 8 pm on April 4, 2017. Upon reaching the scene, they discovered the body of 42-year-old Jeffery Harmon in his Surfside Beach house. It was declared that he had died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A couple of days later, the authorities sent out a letter to the parents of students studying at Holly Tree Elementary School, informing them of the death of Tiffany Cartwright.
Reports suggested that before he died of suicide, Jeffery asked his brother to pick up his children and send them to Ohio. The brother was set to leave with the children, but just when he went inside Jeffery’s house again and called out his name, he allegedly heard the gunshot that Jeffery inflicted upon himself. Besides a handgun in his hand, the police also found a written note among the family albums and photographs. After that, his house was searched, and his vehicle was seized by the police.
About a week after Jeffery was found dead, Eva Jo Jones’ 2002 silver Saturn SL1 was found along Cherry Avenue in Wilmington, nearly three miles away from their Cameron Court home. According to the neighbors in the area, the vehicle had been parked there since April 2, 2017. After spending more than ten days investigating the case and going through all the details in front of them, the investigators came to the conclusion that Jeffery Harmon was solely responsible for killing Eva Jo Jones and Tiffany Cartwright. Since he was already dead, there was no need for prosecution.
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