Jeffery Manor shooting suspect released without charges in death of pregnant woman on Chicago's South Side

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago police said Thursday a suspect in the fatal shooting of a pregnant woman in the Jeffery Manor neighborhood has been released without charges.

According to police, around 12:06 a.m. Tuesday, 35-year-old Stacey Jones, a Cook County probation officer was found unresponsive on the porch of her home in the 2100-block of East 95th Place.

Jones, a mother of two and 8 months pregnant was found with two gunshot wounds.

"They weren't quick shots, we heard three measured shots, and whoever did it, wanted to do it," neighbor Elliott Cobb said.

"No screaming, no noise, just two shots," said Alan Jones, neighbor.

Jones was rushed to the University of Chicago hospital in critical condition, where she later died, police said.

Doctors were able to deliver her baby, who remained in critical condition as of Wednesday night at Comer Children's Hospital.

Police said they are focusing their investigation on people who were known to the mother of three.

Timothy Evans, chief judge of the Cook County Circuit Clerk, confirmed Jones had worked as a probation officer in the court's Adult Probation Department since April 2019.

"Our thoughts go out to her family, colleagues and friends at this difficult time," Judge Evans said in a statement.

A GoFundMe page set up by her labor union to help with medical expenses for her newborn baby said, "Stacey was a Cook County Adult Probation officer who worked with offenders providing resources, monitoring and guidance in an effort to assist them in changing their lives."

"This is truly, like, tragedy; just waking up to hear this news that your coworker that you see every single day is gone," said Nicholas Minor, friend and coworker.

Neighbors said Jones, who is originally from Tennessee, had lived at the address of the shooting for less than a year. They last saw Jones playing outside with her other two young children Saturday.

"I just saw her Friday, and she was telling me how happy she was that she was about to have a baby," Minor said. "Stacey was a very perky person, you know, always had a smile every morning coming to work. Every day, every time I saw her she'd say, 'Hi Nick!'"

Minor said her job was her passion, but Jones' pride was her children. He said her murder not only stole her future, but robbed her boys of a loving mother.

Friends said Stacy Jones was a wonderful mother who loved her job, her two sons, and was a kind and enthusiastic friend. Police said the person who killed her was known to her.

Tracy Hancock, who lives nearby, lost a niece to gun violence in a nearby park in 2012. She was also a mother of four at the time.

"She left four kids that we had to raise, and they're still traumatized," she said. "This touched me really bad, in my heart, in my stomach. I couldn't go back to sleep. I heard it at 6 o'clock in this morning. I'm praying for the baby, that the baby comes through."

Area Two detectives are investigating the shooting.

They said police found racially-tinged graffiti on the side of Jones' apartment, but believe it was placed there as a diversion.

Anyone with information is asked to call CPD or text 274637 to submit a tip anonymously.