Jones pictured third from left at Demon Relays. Photo courtesy of Steve Roth

A man charged with murder in the first degree in Washington gave an initial court appearance Thursday.

At about 10 p.m. Wednesday 64-year-old Clarence Dean Pederson was taken into custody for murder in the first degree for the death of his roommate 70-year-old Ed Jones. Jones was found Wednesday morning by the Washington Police Department at Woodridge Apartments located at 601 West Adams Street with an apparent stab wound to the upper torso. Authorities located a large fixed blade lying on Jones’ lap with apparent blood on the knife. When Pedersen was interviewed as part of the investigation he confirmed owning a knife similar in appearance to the knife found in the crime scene. Authorities also located a handwritten note among Pedersen’s belongings which stated, “Kill Ed.”

Washington Boys Track Coach Steve Roth remembers Jones as being a lifelong Demons fan, “He was the number one Demons fan. We’re ‘Demon Nation’ and he was the head Demon. He never missed an event I mean I can’t ever remember him missing an event, track meets, standing in the front row. He will be truly missed. he kept everybody loose, he had that charisma where you always wanted to talk to him he always had a smile on his face. He will be sorely missed, there will be an empty place at each Demon game from now on and that’s what’s going to be sad about the town.”

Washington County Attorney John Gish says a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Pedersen for July 20th and bail has been set at $1,000,000. First Degree Murder is a scheduled Class A felony and carries a mandatory life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Court records show a Clarence D. Pedersen was convicted of murdering his brother-in-law in southwest Iowa on December 30, 1978.