CEDARTOWN, Ga. — A conviction has been made in the death of a 34-year-old Georgia woman despite her body never being found -- something that's been done only a handful of times in the state's history.
On Feb. 2, a Polk County Jury convicted 33-year-old Joseph Leroy Jones for the murder of his wife Monisha Leath of Cedartown, Georgia, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Jones was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault in connection to her death.
The GBI said there have been less than 10 no-body homicide cases ever worked and prosecuted in the state of Georgia.
The incident began being investigated on Feb. 24, 2022, around 10:45 p.m., when the Cedartown Police Department asked the GBI to help regarding a missing person/death investigation involving Leath.
No one has ever seen or heard from her again since that same day when she didn't pick up her kids from school and didn't show up to one of her children's plays at school.
GBI Special Agent in Charge Joe Montgomery said Jones' story wasn't adding up. GBI investigators were able to track Jones across the state from Polk County to Floyd County, to Clayton County, to McDuffie County. However, what helped seal the conviction actually came from Jones' family.
"He had confessed to his two brothers that he had actually killed Monisha, so that made it a whole lot easier," Montgomery said. "We believe that she died by strangulation."
Montgomery said that Jones' family testified against him in Polk County.
'We're hoping that Joseph will tell us," Montgomery said. "I don't know if he ever will."
Montgomery said that his last no-body case was 15 years ago. He said it helped him prepare for this one.
"Our office has done two of these types of cases before," Montgomery said.
Leath went missing on Feb. 22, 2022, in Rome, right on the Polk County line. Leath's remains have still not been found. Montgomery said the GBI said they will continue their search and hopefully bring her back to her family.
'We're not going to give up," Montgomery said. "I hope and pray that they don't give up on us."
Leath's mother told 11Alive that true closure would only come when her daughter's remains are found.
"The GBI would like to thank the Clayton County Police Department, the McDuffie County Sheriff’s Office, the Polk County Police Department, the Patrol Division of the Floyd County Police Department, the Rockmart Police Department, the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Thomson, the GBI Cyber Crimes Unit, the Cedartown Police Department, and the Polk County District Attorney. With the help of these departments in the investigation and search, the successful prosecution of Joseph Jones for the murder of Monisha Leath was possible."