Shivangi Sinha
In October 2017, police in Medford, Oregon, launched an investigation into the disappearance of Aaron Friar and his eldest daughter, Ellie Friar. Within a matter of hours, Ellie was taken into custody, along with her boyfriend, Gavin MacFarlane, and his friend, Russell Jones. When questioned separately, Jones quickly chose to cooperate with investigators and provided them with key information that ultimately cracked the case. CBS’ ’48 Hours’ episode titled ‘First Love, Then Murder’ explores the details of the investigation and highlights the critical role Jones played in uncovering the truth.
Russell Jones Asked for a Cigarette During His Interrogation
On the morning of October 2, 2017, at around 10:48 am, 22-year-old Russell Jones was arrested alongside his friend Gavin MacFarlane and the latter’s girlfriend, Ellie Friar. The trio was walking down a busy street in Medford, Oregon when authorities detained them. Just four hours earlier, Ellie’s mother had contacted the police to report both her daughter and ex-husband, Aaron Friar, as missing. Upon investigating, officers discovered a trail of blood at the family’s home. Ellie’s younger sister, Sierra Friar, informed police that she had seen Gavin in their backyard and mentioned that their father had disapproved of Gavin’s relationship with Ellie.
The police quickly separated the three individuals and chose to question Jones first. The lead detective already knew him from previous encounters and believed he would be the most likely to talk. As the questioning began, he spoke about several things but soon asked for a cigarette. The detective agreed and took him outside the station, where they asked him to reveal Aaron’s whereabouts. Jones promptly agreed to show them the location and continued speaking with officers while in the car. He maintained that he had no part in the actual murder but admitted to helping dispose of the remains. Although he often went off on tangents and persistently asked for more cigarettes, police noted that he was still providing valuable information throughout the ride.
At around 12:50 pm, Jones led the police to a remote highway about 20 miles north of Aaron’s home. There, they discovered the latter’s remains wrapped in a green tarp and a fleece blanket. Jones also directed them to a nearby tree where a baseball bat was hidden and alleged it was the weapon Gavin used to kill Aaron. However, Ellie gave a conflicting statement that it was Jones who had allegedly murdered her father. After reviewing all the evidence, investigators concluded that all three had been involved in the crime, but they believed that Jones’ role was limited to helping dispose of the body, while Gavin was the one who committed the murder.
Russell Jones is in Custody Today
In August 2021, Russell Jones entered no contest pleas to the charges of conspiracy to commit murder and attempted robbery in the first degree. This legal decision meant that while Jones was not admitting guilt, he was also not contesting the charges, allowing the court to proceed with sentencing as if he had been found guilty. During earlier trials, prosecutors alleged that Jones, along with Gavin MacFarlane and Ellie Friar, had also plotted to murder Jones’ own father, though this plan was ultimately not carried out.
The court handed down a combined sentence of 15 years in prison for the two charges, followed by an additional three years of post-prison supervision. Now 29 years old, Jones is currently being held at the Oregon State Correctional Institution in Salem, Oregon, a medium-security facility. According to the Oregon Department of Corrections, he will be eligible for parole in 2031, although actual release will depend on various factors, including behavior, rehabilitation efforts, and parole board evaluations.
