HOUSTON At a news conference Thursday afternoon, police revealed more about the abduction and murder of a young boy on Christmas Eve. Investigators describe Mona Nelson, the suspect in the murder of 12-year old Jonathan Foster, as a "cold, soulless murderer," and as bizarre and a predator.
Seasoned Houston police homicide investigators say they are shaken up over the case of the abduction and murder of Jonathan.
"There are few cases that impact homicide detectives -- this is one of them," said Detective Mike Miller of HPD Homicide.
Jonathan Foster disappeared on Christmas Eve day and we learned this afternoon that he was killed and his body dumped on that very same day.
What police say about 44-year-old Mona Nelson is disturbing. Det. Miller, who interviewed Nelson, held back tears as he described her.
"She is a cold, soulless murderer who showed an absolute lack of remorse in taking the life of Jonathan Foster," Det. Miller said. "She decided when the time was right and she swooped down and took him when she saw the time was right, and she saw an opportune moment."
That moment, say authorities, was Christmas Eve when Jonathan was home alone. Authorities say Nelson admitted to dumping Jonathan's badly burned body Christmas Eve in northeast Houston off of East Hardy, but she has not admitted to killing the child.
It was surveillance cameras where Jonathan's body was found in northeast Houston that gave investigators their break. HPD Captain David Gott said around 6pm Christmas Eve, surveillance video showed a silver truck pull up to a ditch outside of a building on East Hardy. A person can be seen getting out of the truck, taking a body out of the bed of the truck and placing it in on the ground.
That person was recognized by neighbors and family as Nelson. Capt. Gott said Nelson drives a similar truck.
"The fire department has dogs that can detect accelerants such as fuel and that was not found on Jonathan. We don't know how he was burned; Mona was a welder," said Capt. Gott.
That same day, authorities searched her apartment.
"We stumbled into a wealth of evidence that showed Jonathan's body was burned at the resdience, evidence that shows perhaps the tools he was burned with," said Det. Miller.
Torches and other welding tools were found inside Nelson's northwest Houston home. Authorities beleive Jonathan was taken there, killed and burned beyond recognition the same day within hours. Twine used to tie Jonathan was also found inside Nelson's home. His body laid in the culvert through the Christmas holiday until he was discovered on Tuesday.
The horrible details were too much for several detectives who struggled to keep from crying.
"I've worked in Homicide Division 14 years and this is the worst case I've been a part of -- an innocent 12 year old who everybody says was happy, outgoing and well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood. It's an absolute tragedy," said Det. Miller.
Jonathan's mother, Angela Davis, did not comment about Nelson when we saw her today at a makeshift memorial near Jonathan's apartment. A next door neighbor gave a chilling statement, saying Nelson was there while Jonathan's family was looking for him on Christmas Eve.
"Yeah, she was just sitting there, looking at what was going on," said neighbor Rita Jackson.
Authorities say Nelson is a maintenance worker who works with tools and torches.
Jonathan's body was identified Wednesday by his dental records. A cause of death has not been released.
Police also said they believe Nelson is a a predator who has done this before and that they don't believe her brutality begins with Jonathan.
Police still don't have a motive yet and say Nelson acted alone. Nelson, 44, is being held at the Harris County Jail with no bond.
Authorities will look at other cases now of missing children. They ask anyone with information about Nelson to contact Houston police.
Seasoned Houston police homicide investigators say they are shaken up over the case of the abduction and murder of Jonathan.
"There are few cases that impact homicide detectives -- this is one of them," said Detective Mike Miller of HPD Homicide.
Jonathan Foster disappeared on Christmas Eve day and we learned this afternoon that he was killed and his body dumped on that very same day.
What police say about 44-year-old Mona Nelson is disturbing. Det. Miller, who interviewed Nelson, held back tears as he described her.
"She is a cold, soulless murderer who showed an absolute lack of remorse in taking the life of Jonathan Foster," Det. Miller said. "She decided when the time was right and she swooped down and took him when she saw the time was right, and she saw an opportune moment."
That moment, say authorities, was Christmas Eve when Jonathan was home alone. Authorities say Nelson admitted to dumping Jonathan's badly burned body Christmas Eve in northeast Houston off of East Hardy, but she has not admitted to killing the child.
It was surveillance cameras where Jonathan's body was found in northeast Houston that gave investigators their break. HPD Captain David Gott said around 6pm Christmas Eve, surveillance video showed a silver truck pull up to a ditch outside of a building on East Hardy. A person can be seen getting out of the truck, taking a body out of the bed of the truck and placing it in on the ground.
That person was recognized by neighbors and family as Nelson. Capt. Gott said Nelson drives a similar truck.
"The fire department has dogs that can detect accelerants such as fuel and that was not found on Jonathan. We don't know how he was burned; Mona was a welder," said Capt. Gott.
That same day, authorities searched her apartment.
"We stumbled into a wealth of evidence that showed Jonathan's body was burned at the resdience, evidence that shows perhaps the tools he was burned with," said Det. Miller.
Torches and other welding tools were found inside Nelson's northwest Houston home. Authorities beleive Jonathan was taken there, killed and burned beyond recognition the same day within hours. Twine used to tie Jonathan was also found inside Nelson's home. His body laid in the culvert through the Christmas holiday until he was discovered on Tuesday.
The horrible details were too much for several detectives who struggled to keep from crying.
"I've worked in Homicide Division 14 years and this is the worst case I've been a part of -- an innocent 12 year old who everybody says was happy, outgoing and well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood. It's an absolute tragedy," said Det. Miller.
Jonathan's mother, Angela Davis, did not comment about Nelson when we saw her today at a makeshift memorial near Jonathan's apartment. A next door neighbor gave a chilling statement, saying Nelson was there while Jonathan's family was looking for him on Christmas Eve.
"Yeah, she was just sitting there, looking at what was going on," said neighbor Rita Jackson.
Authorities say Nelson is a maintenance worker who works with tools and torches.
Jonathan's body was identified Wednesday by his dental records. A cause of death has not been released.
Police also said they believe Nelson is a a predator who has done this before and that they don't believe her brutality begins with Jonathan.
Police still don't have a motive yet and say Nelson acted alone. Nelson, 44, is being held at the Harris County Jail with no bond.
Authorities will look at other cases now of missing children. They ask anyone with information about Nelson to contact Houston police.
HOUSTON At a news conference Thursday afternoon, police revealed more about the abduction and murder of a young boy on Christmas Eve. Investigators describe Mona Nelson, the suspect in the murder of 12-year old Jonathan Foster, as a "cold, soulless murderer," and as bizarre and a predator.
Seasoned Houston police homicide investigators say they are shaken up over the case of the abduction and murder of Jonathan.
"There are few cases that impact homicide detectives -- this is one of them," said Detective Mike Miller of HPD Homicide.
Jonathan Foster disappeared on Christmas Eve day and we learned this afternoon that he was killed and his body dumped on that very same day.
What police say about 44-year-old Mona Nelson is disturbing. Det. Miller, who interviewed Nelson, held back tears as he described her.
"She is a cold, soulless murderer who showed an absolute lack of remorse in taking the life of Jonathan Foster," Det. Miller said. "She decided when the time was right and she swooped down and took him when she saw the time was right, and she saw an opportune moment."
That moment, say authorities, was Christmas Eve when Jonathan was home alone. Authorities say Nelson admitted to dumping Jonathan's badly burned body Christmas Eve in northeast Houston off of East Hardy, but she has not admitted to killing the child.
It was surveillance cameras where Jonathan's body was found in northeast Houston that gave investigators their break. HPD Captain David Gott said around 6pm Christmas Eve, surveillance video showed a silver truck pull up to a ditch outside of a building on East Hardy. A person can be seen getting out of the truck, taking a body out of the bed of the truck and placing it in on the ground.
That person was recognized by neighbors and family as Nelson. Capt. Gott said Nelson drives a similar truck.
"The fire department has dogs that can detect accelerants such as fuel and that was not found on Jonathan. We don't know how he was burned; Mona was a welder," said Capt. Gott.
That same day, authorities searched her apartment.
"We stumbled into a wealth of evidence that showed Jonathan's body was burned at the resdience, evidence that shows perhaps the tools he was burned with," said Det. Miller.
Torches and other welding tools were found inside Nelson's northwest Houston home. Authorities beleive Jonathan was taken there, killed and burned beyond recognition the same day within hours. Twine used to tie Jonathan was also found inside Nelson's home. His body laid in the culvert through the Christmas holiday until he was discovered on Tuesday.
The horrible details were too much for several detectives who struggled to keep from crying.
"I've worked in Homicide Division 14 years and this is the worst case I've been a part of -- an innocent 12 year old who everybody says was happy, outgoing and well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood. It's an absolute tragedy," said Det. Miller.
Jonathan's mother, Angela Davis, did not comment about Nelson when we saw her today at a makeshift memorial near Jonathan's apartment. A next door neighbor gave a chilling statement, saying Nelson was there while Jonathan's family was looking for him on Christmas Eve.
"Yeah, she was just sitting there, looking at what was going on," said neighbor Rita Jackson.
Authorities say Nelson is a maintenance worker who works with tools and torches.
Jonathan's body was identified Wednesday by his dental records. A cause of death has not been released.
Police also said they believe Nelson is a a predator who has done this before and that they don't believe her brutality begins with Jonathan.
Police still don't have a motive yet and say Nelson acted alone. Nelson, 44, is being held at the Harris County Jail with no bond.
Authorities will look at other cases now of missing children. They ask anyone with information about Nelson to contact Houston police.
Seasoned Houston police homicide investigators say they are shaken up over the case of the abduction and murder of Jonathan.
"There are few cases that impact homicide detectives -- this is one of them," said Detective Mike Miller of HPD Homicide.
Jonathan Foster disappeared on Christmas Eve day and we learned this afternoon that he was killed and his body dumped on that very same day.
What police say about 44-year-old Mona Nelson is disturbing. Det. Miller, who interviewed Nelson, held back tears as he described her.
"She is a cold, soulless murderer who showed an absolute lack of remorse in taking the life of Jonathan Foster," Det. Miller said. "She decided when the time was right and she swooped down and took him when she saw the time was right, and she saw an opportune moment."
That moment, say authorities, was Christmas Eve when Jonathan was home alone. Authorities say Nelson admitted to dumping Jonathan's badly burned body Christmas Eve in northeast Houston off of East Hardy, but she has not admitted to killing the child.
It was surveillance cameras where Jonathan's body was found in northeast Houston that gave investigators their break. HPD Captain David Gott said around 6pm Christmas Eve, surveillance video showed a silver truck pull up to a ditch outside of a building on East Hardy. A person can be seen getting out of the truck, taking a body out of the bed of the truck and placing it in on the ground.
That person was recognized by neighbors and family as Nelson. Capt. Gott said Nelson drives a similar truck.
"The fire department has dogs that can detect accelerants such as fuel and that was not found on Jonathan. We don't know how he was burned; Mona was a welder," said Capt. Gott.
That same day, authorities searched her apartment.
"We stumbled into a wealth of evidence that showed Jonathan's body was burned at the resdience, evidence that shows perhaps the tools he was burned with," said Det. Miller.
Torches and other welding tools were found inside Nelson's northwest Houston home. Authorities beleive Jonathan was taken there, killed and burned beyond recognition the same day within hours. Twine used to tie Jonathan was also found inside Nelson's home. His body laid in the culvert through the Christmas holiday until he was discovered on Tuesday.
The horrible details were too much for several detectives who struggled to keep from crying.
"I've worked in Homicide Division 14 years and this is the worst case I've been a part of -- an innocent 12 year old who everybody says was happy, outgoing and well-liked by everyone in the neighborhood. It's an absolute tragedy," said Det. Miller.
Jonathan's mother, Angela Davis, did not comment about Nelson when we saw her today at a makeshift memorial near Jonathan's apartment. A next door neighbor gave a chilling statement, saying Nelson was there while Jonathan's family was looking for him on Christmas Eve.
"Yeah, she was just sitting there, looking at what was going on," said neighbor Rita Jackson.
Authorities say Nelson is a maintenance worker who works with tools and torches.
Jonathan's body was identified Wednesday by his dental records. A cause of death has not been released.
Police also said they believe Nelson is a a predator who has done this before and that they don't believe her brutality begins with Jonathan.
Police still don't have a motive yet and say Nelson acted alone. Nelson, 44, is being held at the Harris County Jail with no bond.
Authorities will look at other cases now of missing children. They ask anyone with information about Nelson to contact Houston police.
