Jury finds couple guilty in elder abuse case

Bluefield Daily Telegraph - 5/20/2017

May 20--PRINCETON -- A Bluefield, Va. husband and wife face decades in prison after a Mercer County jury found them guilty Friday of charges including abuse and neglect of an incapacitated adult.

The trial of Monty Bone, 58, and his wife Sonja Bone, 51, both of Bluefield, Va. started Tuesday before Circuit Court Judge William Sadler. Both the husband and wife were charged with felony abuse of an incapacitated adult, felony neglect of incapacitated adult malicious assault and conspiracy. The case started on July 17, 2015 when Detective K.L. Adams of the Bluefield Police Department was contacted by physicians at Bluefield Regional Medical Center about a Bluefield woman, 87-year-old Nancy Bone, who was brought to the hospital on July 11, 2015. Physicians said she showed signs of abuse.

Adams described in his case report how physicians told him that Nancy Bone was extremely dehydrated with low sodium levels and had severe bed sores on her right hip and shoulder along with bruises on her right ear and face; the injuries would have occurred if she had been lying on her right side "for a prolonged period of time such as days." Physicians also said she had some broken ribs in different stages of healing.

The jury started deliberations approximately 11:30 a.m. When the verdicts were read at 4:15 p.m., Monty and Sonja Bone had each been found guilty on one count of abuse of an incapacitated adult, Adams said Friday. The abuse charge carries a penalty of two to 10 years in prison.

Monty Bone was also found guilty on three counts of neglect of an incapacitated adult, and Sonja Bone was found guilty on two counts of the same charge. The neglect charge also has a penalty of two to 10 years imprisonment. Both were found guilty on one charge of misdemeanor conspiracy, and not guilty of malicious assault, Adams said. Monty Bone faces eight to 41 years in prison, and Sonja Bone faces six to 31 years.

Both are currently free on bond. Sentencing was scheduled for a later date.

-- Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com

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