Man faces life in prison for killing prostitute

Thu, Jul 2, 2009

GRAND RAPIDS (AP) — A man who killed a prostitute after having sex with her in a Grand Rapids-area industrial park faces mandatory life in prison without parole after being convicted of first-degree murder.

A jury deliberated for two days before finding Sid Jones, 31, guilty on Wednesday.

Prosecutors said Jones picked up 38-year-old Janeane Lusk on March 26, 2008, while driving his fiancee's car, had sex with her, then stabbed her three times.

Laura Dykstra testified during the weeklong Kent County Circuit Court trial that she had sex with Jones in the Wyoming parking lot where Lusk's body was found, then was ordered from the vehicle at knifepoint. She helped police identify Jones.

Jones testified he had sex with Lusk, but did not kill her or threaten Dykstra.

He will be sentenced Aug. 4.