Murder of 16-year-old: Justice still awaits

Traykia Jones was just 16 years old when her life ended.

Traykia, a student at Annapolis High School, was described as a popular girl with a beautiful smile who loved taking care of children.

“Not many people I've spoken to or read whose statements have had a bad word to say about her,” said William Noel, cold case detective with the Annapolis Police Department.

But apparently someone still had a score to settle.

Traykia was shot in the head in the middle of the night on May 11, 2004, apparently while she was sleeping.

The weapon was never found and the police made no arrests.

Noel is working to make a change.

“You investigate, you diligently follow up on the things that are presented to you and you are not able to stop for the families,” he says. “The families no longer have the victim coming into their home, so I cannot afford to get tired or give up.”

A letter from a community member in 2020 prompted Noel to take a closer look at this case.

“They didn't like that this case wasn't getting any attention or finding a suspect, so they wrote a letter,” he says.

WMAR-2 News/Amanda Engel

Traykia was last seen staying at a neighbor's apartment. Her mother was struggling with addiction at the time, and the neighbor let the teenager hang out, do laundry, and stay in the apartment.

“When I spoke to Traykia Jones' mother, she told me that she was struggling with substance abuse issues at the time of the murder, and she readily admitted that she was not, as she put it, a suitable mother to Traykia,” Noel says. “So she gave this lady permission to give Traykia shelter, a place to stay, do our laundry, get some food, and that night Traykia was there.”

Noel adds that there are two persons of interest/suspects in this case, but they cannot provide any details.

“The area was searched,” he says of the investigation, “and several people came forward and provided statements indicating that the two people in question had not only seen Miss Jones before her death, but that at least one of them had been in close contact with her within half an hour of calling the police.”

ARCHIVE: Traykia Jones murder 2004

As for the motive, Noel said investigators believe it may have been revenge.

“I think there is information that leads us to believe that since someone knows who she is and what her relationship is, there was a conflict between her and another person and that person was trying to avenge the wrong that Traykia had done to her,” he says.

However, to truly close the case, the police need more.

If you were in Obery Court between the night of May 10 and the morning of May 11, 2004, you are asked to come forward with any details you heard or remember.

Unfortunately, police did not have a photo of Traykia Jones from her time to share with us. If you knew her and have a photo you would like to share, please contact us at [email protected]

If you can provide police with information that will help solve Traykia Jones' murder, please call the Annapolis Police Department at 410-268-9000 and ask for the Cold Case Unit.