markbellune@yahoo.com

A convicted mass murderer has told his father he may kill himself in prison.

An audio of Tim Jones, Jr., from jail speaking with his father and stepmother had eerie words like “redrum” repeated multiple times by Jones.

It is a reference from the movie and book called “The Shining” by best-selling horror novelist Stephan King.

Redrum spelled backward is murder.

In that audio recorded by the prison, Jones said he “might off himself.”

The death penalty phase for Jones opened last Thursday.

Jones was convicted last Tuesday of murdering his 5 children – Merah, 8; Elias, 7; Nahtahn, 6; Gabriel, 2 and Elaine Abigail, 1 – in their Red Bank home in August 2014.

“He bares sole responsibility for the murders of his children,” 11th Circuit assistant solicitor Suzanne Mayes told the jury Thursday in opening the state’s request to execute Jones.

“In this case the appropriate sentence is death.”

Boyd Young for the defense countered, “You don’t have to kill Tim Jones.”

“With your verdict you have guaranteed Tim Jones won’t walk the streets ever again.

“Life means life without the possibility of parole... it means he will die in prison.”

The prosecution called many witnesses before a recess was called due to a scheduling issue.

Some of the testimony last Thursday included video recordings from Tim Jones’ ex-wife’s phone.

On it, 8-year-old Merah is crying, “I want mommy.”

It was a video sent to Amber Kyzer, his ex-wife. Court testimony indicated Jones was angry for his wife leaving him and was trying to exact revenge on her through the children.

In another cellphone video to their mother, emotionally distressed 7-year-old Elias says, “I miss you.”

Jones appeared to be crying at this point in the trial.