San Diego, CA: Man out of jail held in slaying of girlfriend, 31

By Kristina Davis, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Karen Kucher, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

Saturday, December 19, 2009 at 12:58 a.m.


A man who spent the past month in jail for domestic violence returned to his Golden Hill apartment late Thursday and killed his girlfriend in front of the couple’s two young children, authorities said.

Police found Christina Jones, 31, badly injured inside the apartment, and she died about an hour later at a hospital.

Her boyfriend, Melvin Carter, 29, has been booked into jail on suspicion of murder, said police homicide Lt. Ernie Herbert. An arraignment has been set for Tuesday in San Diego Superior Court.

Detectives said Carter, who posted bail earlier that day, went to the apartment on A Street near Granada Avenue and began arguing with Jones about visiting the children, who are 4 months and 17 months old.

Jones’ roommate, a relative, left the apartment and called 911 about 11:15 p.m.

Carter answered the door when officers arrived. Inside, officers found Jones injured. Paramedics took her to the hospital, where she died about 1 a.m.

No weapon was found, Herbert said. Her cause of death has not been released.

Herbert said investigators were told the couple had been together about five years. Jones also has an older daughter from a previous relationship.

Neighbor Jeffrey Osbrink, 23, said he heard a woman screaming outside his apartment late Thursday. When he looked outside his window moments later, he saw officers swarming the apartment across from him and police carrying out the victim’s toddler.

Neighbors said Jones mostly kept to herself.

Osbrink also said a man from the District Attorney’s Office came by the building looking for her a few days earlier, telling the neighbor Jones wasn’t in trouble but he needed to speak with her.

Carter, who was on probation after pleading guilty to an earlier misdemeanor domestic violence charge, had been arrested Nov. 24 after another domestic dispute, the Sheriff’s Department said. He was held on a probation violation before posting $35,000 bail, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The victim’s sister, Andrea Martin, told KGTV Channel 10 that she was worried Carter was going to hurt Jones.

“I knew he was going to be angry because she had me call police just a couple weeks ago. That was the reason he was in jail,” she said.

Martin also said her sister had planned to seek a restraining order against Carter.

Friend Kristyna Flowers described Jones as a strong woman and a generous, loyal friend. The two met at Chula Vista Jr. High and remained close friends through the years.

“If she had it and you needed it, she’d give it to you,” said Flowers, 30, who lives in Atlanta. “She was very outgoing and fun. She had big spirit.”