A 21-year-old nursing student from Slidell is missing and police say there’s a possibility foul play is involved.
Marquise Jones was last seen about a week ago in New Orleans. His family is desperate for answers about where he is now.
“I’m living my worst nightmare, literally,” Erica Jones said.
Standing with tears in her eyes and with a broken heart, Erica Jones dug deep to find strength. She spoke with Eyewitness News hoping her pleas would be heard, and answers will be found
“He was the best brother to his brothers and sisters,” she said as she wept. “He was leaving our home to go to the party. And I heard him tell his sister, ‘I’m going to a kickback, I’ll be back.’ And that was Friday night, the last time I heard from him.”
Last Friday, February 26, Marquise had come home from school to attend a personal family matter that weekend. On Friday night, after dropping some food off at his mom’s house, he drove to a house party in New Orleans on the 2600 block of Onzaga Street.
Friends reportedly told family he left around 11:30 p.m. and headed back to Slidell. His mother thought it was odd she hadn’t heard from him that night. Marquise always had his phone on him, so after not hearing from him on Saturday, she knew something was wrong and contacted police.
“I just want to talk to him, where is he?” she asked. “Where’s he at? It’s just hard, it’s hard not knowing. There are so many questions, and I can’t get them answered.”
“You never imagine your family is going to be that family, and it’s heart wrenching,” Monica Populist said.
Populist is Marquise’s great aunt. She says he’s always been full of life. He’s a nursing student on the Dean’s List at Southern University. He’s studying nursing, something she says he’s always enjoyed.
One of six siblings, family has always come first. Populist says he would never go this long without telling a family member what was going on.
“It’s so out of character,” she said. “We’re confused, someone knows something and we’re asking for help.”
It’s been almost a week, with no word as to what happened.
“I’m feeling lost,” Jones said. “I don’t know if I’m coming or going, it’s driving me crazy. I’m looking for him to be there for him to walk through the door with a joke about me.”
And as they lean on each other for support, this family says they’re not giving up hope that he’ll return home.
Marquise was last seen wearing a grey Southern University t-shirt, blue jeans and a jean jacket. He has a mole on his left jaw line. His car is also missing. It’s a 2013, dark grey, Kia Optima with temp tags: 18589313.
Anyone with additional information is asked to call New Orleans Police First District detectives at 504-658-6010.
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