Jones was a teacher's assistant at Chicago's Gage Park High School. He was found shot to death inside his car on Friday.
Police tell the family that they believe this may have been a robbery gone wrong, and they are asking for anyone who may have witnessed the shooting to come forward.
"This is a senseless crime from a heartless person," said Jones's brother.
Jones was only 23 years old when he was found dead, in his car with a gunshot wound to the head. His family says he was not in gangs and he did not have a history of trouble.
Jones had been in his position at Gage Park for the last four years, and was also an assistant basketball coach. His brother says Michael was someone the kids looked up to.
"He faced up with 'em, let 'em know, I did this, you can do it, if you need help, if you need a father figure in your life, if you need a friend, I'm gonna be there for you," "My brother made sure, kids who people gave up on, gang-bangin', drug-dealin', my brother made sure he tried to put a stamp on their life," said Jones's brother.
The shooting happened in the Gresham neighborhood about five miles away from the school. Police say his death is being investigated as a homicide even though they have little in the way of details surrounding what happened.
"He was headed to a football game to see one of the boys play that he mentored, that he talked to, and he tried to help," said Jones's brother. "The boy said he'd been doing good and my brother was going to one of his games."
Jones was himself a Gage Park graduate and was one of seven siblings.
"You're not going to be able to sleep knowing you killed a good person, knowing you killed a person for no reason. Whether it money whether it was a car, whatever - you know you only had to ask my brother and he would have gave it to you," said Jones's brother.
ABC7 was also able to speak to one of Jones' mentors at Gage Park earlier. He said they had been touring colleges recently.
Jones was looking forward to going back to school and buying his own place.
Police say that this is still an open investigation.
