Timothy Ray Jones suspected in deaths of five children

Timothy Ray Jones was arrested in Mississippi in unrelated charges

Taken from 

A US father is suspected of killing his five children and dumping their bodies in another state, police have said.

Timothy Ray Jones faces multiples charges in his home state of South Carolina, the Associated Press news agency reports.

He was arrested on Saturday in Mississippi on unrelated charges.

The children, ages one to eight, were reported missing on Wednesday, when their mother told police she could not get in contact with her ex-husband.

Authorities found the children buried near an Alabama highway after an all-day search on Tuesday, local media reported.

Alabama Department of Public Safety spokesman Sgt Steve Jarrett told a news conference on Tuesday Mr Jones led investigators to the children's bodies.

Smith County, Mississippi, Sheriff Charlie Crumpton told reporters that Mr Jones was stopped at a safety checkpoint on Saturday and was determined to be driving under the influence of drugs,

A deputy found what were believed to be chemicals used to manufacture methamphetamine and a substance believed to be the street drug Spice, Mr Crumpton said.

Investigators also found what appeared to be bleach, hydrochloric acid, blood and possible body fluids inside the vehicle.

When officers ran his vehicle's identification through a national database, police discovered he was wanted in South Carolina "regarding a welfare concern of his children", who were on a national missing persons list.

Mr Jones had told neighbours in South Carolina he was preparing to move out of the state with the children, local media report.

A father has admitted to killing his five young children and dumping their bodies in rubbish bags at the side of a road.

Authorities said Timothy Ray Jones confessed to killing the youngsters and led police to the scene, Reuters reported.

The children, aged between two and eight, were reported missing from their home in South Carolina on Monday by the mother.

Their remains were found stuffed into bin bags near a logging road, 50 miles away in Alabama the following day.

Reuters

Scene: Jones led police to where he dumped the bodies

Jones, 32, did not reveal a motive for the killings, which he confessed to authorities in Mississippi, Smith County Sheriff Charlie Crumpton said.

"I'm a father of two, and I can't imagine what goes through a man's head when he does this," Crumpton said. "It was a horrible, horrible crime."

Jones had joint custody of the children with his ex-wife and was their primary legal custodian, the Lexington County Sheriff's Office said.

whnt.com

Horror: The children were dumped in rubbish bags

The 32-year-old father of five was already in custody in Raleigh, Mississippi, after being detained Saturday on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Police searched his car and found what appeared to be chemicals used to make crystal methamphetamine, as well as the presence of what appeared to be bleach, hydrochloric acid, blood and possible bodily fluids.

The children were found in a rural area in southwestern Alabama, about 50 miles southwest of Montgomery, Crumpton said.

Police said they had obtained an arrest warrant for Timothy Jones on a charge of unlawful neglect of a child, with additional more counts pending.