Investigative Journalist Profile
Aphrodite Jones is a best-selling true crime author and journalist who uses her reporter’s hunch to investigate and write about murder. Through her eyes, Jones brings readers inside murder cases as she explores dark motives and conveys the emotional truths hiding behind the tragedy.
Over the past two decades, Jones has written a string of best-selling true crime books and has provided TV commentary and expert insights into the psychological profiles of both criminals and victims.
In recent years, the author created a hit reality crime TV series, True Crime with Aphrodite Jones, which aired on Investigation Discovery for six seasons. The series followed Jones as she unraveled new mysteries lurking behind cases that shocked America: Casey Anthony, Scott Peterson, Jon Benet Ramsey, Phil Spector, the and Menendez Brothers are among the riveting cases that Jones covered.
Fans of True Crime came to know they could rely on Jones to present each murder case with authority and flair, to depict a chilling portrait of the crime, and to treat every victim with compassion.
Before landing the hosting position with Investigation Discovery, Jones worked as an investigative reporter for FOX News covering the trials and court hearings of Scott Peterson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jackson, Barry Bonds, Jerry Sandusky and Dennis Rader (the BTK Killer). Jones started her TV career as a crime correspondent for America’s Most Wanted and went on to create and host a true crime show called The Justice Hunters for USA Network. Early in her TV career, Jones also contributed to KCOP in Los Angeles as a true crime on-air correspondent.
When Jones wrote her first book, The FBI Killer, it was quickly turned into an ABC movie-of-the-week, Betrayed by Love, starring Patricia Arquette, which Jones co-produced. Not long afterward, Jones landed the exclusive rights to a teen crime drama that she chronicled in her book Cruel Sacrifice, which hit the top of The New York Times list.
Her third book, All She Wanted, was one of the first true crime accounts of a transgender hate crime in America. The book was optioned by Diane Keaton with Drew Barrymore attached to star as “Brandon Teena” and was later transformed into the Oscar-winning film Boys Don’t Cry starring Hilary Swank. Her seventh best-selling book, A Perfect Husband, was made into the highly-acclaimed Lifetime Movie which Jones co-produced, The Staircase Murders.
Jones knows the crime world first hand. She’s known as a TV persona who doesn’t sugar-coat important issues for viewers. She has a penchant for “telling it like it is” and in her 25 years of crime reporting, Jones has been asked to investigate and comment on everything from the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks to the trials of Casey Anthony and O.J. Simpson.
She has appeared as a crime expert on CNN, HLN, MSNBC, FOX News, Court TV, MTV, TLC, Entertainment Tonight, Inside Edition, Extra!, Anderson Live, Forensic Files, E! News, The New Detectives, American Justice, Deadline Crime, The Jury Speaks, CBS This Morning, Dr. Oz, The Today Show, and Dateline NBC.
1.) Tell us about yourself and your background. (ie, education, interests, tv shows featured on and or hosted)
I graduated from UCLA and then went on to earn a Masters of Arts Degree at Long Island University. Also earned a Masters of Philosophy degree from NYU. I started my professional writing career at age 20, writing a column called Cable View for United Features Syndicate in which I chronicled the evolution of cable TV as we know it. I worked as a crime reporter for FOX News, covering the Scott Peterson trial, the Michael Jackson trial, and the BTK (Dennis Rader) sentencing. I went on to create and host my own show for Investigation Discovery, True Crime with Aphrodite Jones, which ran for six seasons on ID. I’ve been featured on countless broadcast and cable shows regarding the true crime books I’ve written. At the moment, I’m working with A&E for a documentary on Michael Jackson. I also have a special coming out on REELZ about Pablo Escobar and El Chapo Guzman.
2.) What attracted you to True Crime / Cold Cases / Investigative Reporting
I was a news director at a small station in Eastern Kentucky when I reported on a huge crime: for the first time in history, an FBI agent copped to a murder charge, taking a manslaughter plea for killing his informant. Because this happened in 1989, and because it happened in Eastern Kentucky, no national news outlet covered the story – none whatsoever. That got me riled up, especially because the informant was the agent’s lover and was pregnant with his child at the time that he murdered her. It was there, in Pikeville, Kentucky, that I decided to write my first true crime book, which I dedicated to the victim, Susan Daniels Smith. My book, The FBI Killer, became a best-seller, and was also the basis for the ABC TV film, Betrayed by Love, starring Patricia Arquette.
3.) Who were / are your mentors?
My greatest mentor is Ernest Hemingway. His writing had a profound effect on my writing style. Another great mentor is Barbara Walters, whose interview style is something I will always aspire to.
4.) Did you watch any true crime type shows growing up?
I did not watch True Crime shows growing up – not at all. I did not choose this field, it chose me. I wanted to write about the glamour of television, not about murder and American nightmares. However, over the years, I found True Crime to be my true calling, and I’ve embraced that.
5.) How long have you been investigating and reporting on true crime cases?
I’ve been at this for 30 years! Hard to believe that! I’ve covered everything from OJ Simpson to Jerry Sandusky, from George Zimmerman and Robert Blake, and from Phil Spector to Casey Anthony. The trials I’ve attended, both small and large, are really too many to mention.
6.) What groups or organizations do you belong to?
Hmmmm. I don’t affiliate with any group, really, but I have spoken and presented to countless LE groups and charity organizations.
7.) What was the first case you investigated or reported on?
The case against FBI Agent Mark Putnam, who killed his informant-turned-lover, Susan Daniels Smith, in Eastern Kentucky. The book is called The FBI Killer.
What attracted your interest in this case? See answer # 1.
How, or was it resolved?
After Susan Smith’s sister threatened to go to Geraldo with proof that Susan Daniels Smith was pregnant with Putnam’s child, after the sister hounded local law enforcement to go after one their own, Mark Putman was brought in for questioning and he failed the polygraph. Ultimately, Agent Mark Putnam lead Kentucky police to Susan Smith’s bones. Putnam was sentenced to serve 8 years in federal prison, copping a manslaughter plea, a slap on the wrist for what was a clearly premeditated murder.
8.) What is the most unique case you investigated / reported on?
For sure, it’s the Teena Brandon/ Brandon Teena case in Falls City, Nebraska. Teena Brandon wasn’t the first transgender person to be killed in a hate crime, but she/he was the victim of one of the first hate crimes to garner national media attention. My book on this case, called All She Wanted, became the inspiration for the film, Boys Don’t Cry. At the time that I covered this trial, in 1994, the word transgender was not yet in the American vocabulary. It’s hard to imagine that, right? With LGBT being up so high on the radar, who knew I would be one of the first people to write a true crime book on the subject. I dedicated my book to “Brandon” and also to “all those brothers and sisters out there who deserve sexual freedom.”
9.) What case / cases are you investigating / reporting on now?
The latest case was El Chapo Guzman’s trial in 2019, held in the Southern District Federal court in NY. I am now working on a new murder case with an upcoming trial I will cover, but I am not at liberty to talk about it.
10.) What do feel the impact of true crime TV and related shows/channels have had on how crime is investigated?
The impact is great – greater than I ever expected. People keep their eyes peeled these days, and are they much more aware of the potential evil that surrounds them. That said, there’s also the “CSI Effect,” which gives people the impression that crimes are easily solved, and furthermore, gives juries unrealistic expectations regarding circumstantial evidence in murder cases. Juries seem to think there will always be a smoking gun, when in reality, most murder cases rely heavily on circumstantial evidence.
11.) What do you think of the explosion of true crime podcasting in the last couple of year?
I love it! I am addicted to certain podcasts, but I won’t name them because there are too many to name. I will say that I have a new podcast out myself this year, called This Is Murder, which I co-host with the infamous Jessie Buttafuoco. We are about to release our second season of This Is Murder and we give people an insider’s peek as they listen to our interviews with a host of colorful characters who’ve been involved in high-profile murder cases.
12.) Do you listen to or follow any particular podcast shows?
I’ll admit, I loved Serial, which started the TC podcast rage!
13.) What media project(s) are you working on now?
I’m developing a new limited TV series and am about to write a new True Crime book, after talking a 10-year hiatus. Can’t give any other details.
15.) What advice can you give to citizen detectives?
Keep your eyes peeled and call in any tips you may have. In cold cases especially, don’t be afraid to come forward to law enforcement – LE needs you, more than you know.
16.) Where can our readers find more information about you? Website? PODCAST? TV?
Website: www.AphroditeJones.com
PODCAST: www.ThisMurderPODCAST.com
TV: ID, GO, YouTube
17.) Do you want to tell our readers anything more about yourself?
After years of grappling with the pain of being in the true crime world, I have to admit that I love being able to sink my teeth into a murder case and being able to come up with details that others may have missed. I think ability to dig deep – to dive in — is my true talent.
I just released a new copy of my book: Red Zone: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the San Francisco Dog Mauling, as well as a new version of my book, A Perfect Husband. Watch for me on upcoming Dr. Oz shows, and also on upcoming crime specials to be released this fall and/ or next spring on REELZ and A&E.
