THE BABYSITTER SUSPECTED IN THE ELEVEN YEAR OLD COLD CASE OF PILAR RODRIGUEZ WAS ARRESTED MONDAY NIGHT IN WASHINGTON STATE. CHARLOTTE COUNTY SHERIFF BILL CAMERON SAID AT A TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE THAT NOW 33 YEAR OLD MELISSA HARDING JONES, AKA MELISSA COOPER, WAS CHARGED WITH FIRST DEGREE FELONY AGGRAVATED MANSLAUGHTER OF A CHILD IN THE THEN FOUR YEAR OLD GIRL’S DEATH. PILAR WAS REPORTEDLY LAST SEEN WITH COOPER AND COOPER’S THEN BOYFRIEND KEITH WILSON IN PUNTA GORDA BACK IN 1999. DEPUTIES KEPT THE PENDING ARREST QUIET, NOT EVEN TELLING PILAR’S FATHER BECAUSE THEY FELT COOPER MIGHT BE A FLIGHT RISK. SHE WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY IN HER EVERETT, WASHINGTON HOME WITHOUT INCIDENT, AND CAMERON DID NOT SAY WHETHER MORE ARRESTS ARE COMING. ONLY COOPER AND WILSON REMAINED SUSPECTS IN THE CASE UP UNTIL NOW. COOPER IS NOW MARRIED WITH TWO CHILDREN, AND SHE FACES THIRTY YEARS IN STATE PRISON IF FOUND GUILTY IN PILAR’S DEATH. NO BODY HAS EVER BEEN RECOVERED IN THE CASE.
