Suspects’ family members shocked by allegations

Published: October 11, 2012 

MurderHearing

Tracy Jones, front, and Courtney Kelly walk into the Bibb County Magistrate Court for a hearing Wednesday. Jones and Kelly, along with Michael Kelly and Keith Anthony Dozier, are charged in the murder of Gail Spencer.

JASON VORHEES — jvorhees@macon.comBuy Photo

Family members of two of the four people charged with the murder of 58-year-old Gail Spencer were shocked by the allegations.

Spencer, a grandmother of two, was found dead in her north Macon home early Saturday, the victim of suffocation.

Tracy Michelle Jones, 38, of Macon, step-siblings Michael Brett Kelly, 18, of Macon and Courtney Nicole Kelly, 23, of Warner Robins, and Keith Anthony Dozier, 23, of Warner Robins, have been charged with murder in the case.

Bond was denied Wednesday for Jones and the Kellys. Dozier was charged early Thursday and has not had a bond hearing yet.

Until about two weeks ago, Courtney Kelly lived with her grandmother, Rosalind Celetano, in Warner Robins.

Celetano, who is battling cancer, said Courtney Kelly lived with her for a couple of months and was a big help around the house. The arrangement was going well until Kelly disappeared a couple of weeks ago with Celetano’s credit card and laptop computer, Celetano said.

She got the news about the murder charge Wednesday morning.

“I was shocked,” Celetano said as she stood in her garage Wednesday. “I’ve been crying most of the morning.”

Kelly was essentially homeless when she moved in with her, Celetano said.

Kelly’s mother, Michelle Wells, didn’t want to talk when reached by phone Wednesday.

“All I can say is I love my daughter and she was a very good girl,” Wells said.

Some of Jones’ kin gathered Wednesday at a farmhouse that predates nearby Lake Tobesofkee where Jones once lived with her grandmother. They were trying to make sense of the news of Jones’ arrest.

In the living room, the TV was on, and along a wall was a dollhouse full of Barbies.

Jones’ 91-year-old grandmother, Marilu Jones, who helped raise her, had tears in her eyes.

“I can’t understand how in the world she could have done this,” Marilu Jones said. “She’d been a good girl. ... It’s such a big surprise. I would never dream this would happen. Never.”

Tracy Jones’ father, Hiram Jones, said, “We don’t have a clue. ... We haven’t heard any details.”

Hiram Jones said his daughter had “taken paralegal courses and all” and had worked for local attorneys in recent years.

Macon attorney Calder Pinkston said he hired Jones about a year ago. She came with recommendations from other law firms. Spencer also worked at the law firm.

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