Registered sex offender Jeremy Jones was let go several times when he was arrested for minor offenses in 2003 and 2004 while using an alias in Georgia. Police checked his fingerprints via the FBI’s IAFIS database, but it failed to bring up a match that would have identified the man and his record. He was wanted for sexual assault in Oklahoma at the time.
Police suspect that Jones murdered at least four women in Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana during and after his arrests. He has admitted to one murder. He is currently being held in Alabama, charged with raping and murdering Lisa Nichols, 44. He could get the death penalty if convicted.
An FBI spokesman has said that the problem was a rare computer glitch, not a human error, and the bureau is working to reduce errors in the system that occasionally miss a match.
