Jurors learned new evidence in the trial of Tieray Jones Monday, about the disappearance of his step-son more than a decade ago in Golden Hill.
Jones claimed Jahi Turner, then 2 years-old, walked away-–or was taken–-from a Golden Hill playground while he walked to a vending machine.
But several witnesses who were at the playground testified they never saw the toddler and did not see Jones look for him or call out Turner's name.
Martin Flores, who was at the park on April 25 in 2002, told the jury he saw neither Jones nor the toddler.
The owner of a nearby market also testified that surveillance video from the store does not show Jones.
That witness testimony bolsters the prosecution’s contention that Turner was already dead by April 25 and suggests that Jones may have lied about the toddler’s disappearance to cover up the alleged killing or a fatal accident.
A former neighbor of Jones took the stand last Tuesday and told the court of an incident where she saw Jones carrying trash bags to a dumpster outside of his apartment. Prosecutors believe Jones may have been getting rid of evidence of Turner's death, or possibly his body.
On Feb. 15, prosecutors acknowledged there is little "direct" evidence that Tieray Jones is guilty, but said there will be strong "circumstantial" evidence to prove he killed his 2-year-old stepson, probably in the family's apartment, and threw his body into a dumpster.
Jurors were seated a few weeks ago for the trial that could take two months.
Although new evidence has been uncovered in the case, authorities have not found Turner's body or remains, police said.
