ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Family and friends gathered inside Mount Zion Progressive Missionary Baptist Church in St. Petersburg on Saturday to say goodby to Marqueita Maynard.
- Funeral held Saturday at 1 p.m. for Marqueita Maynard
- Marqueita Maynard stabbed to death by mom's ex-husband
- Stanley Jones remains in jail on several charges
"It would be a blessing for people to remember Rae as being the happy and energetic person that she was," Maynard's uncle James Green said.
Maynard was stabbed to death earlier this month by her mother's ex-husband, according to St. Petersburg police.
Stanley Jones, 52, is accused of stabbing his ex-wife Willie-Maynard Jones multiple times and killing her daughter Marqueita on December 6.
The incident happened around noon at 22nd Avenue and 53rd Street. Authorities said the two victims were ambushed when they arrived home. Jones was trying to leave the scene on a bicycle when he was arrested.
Marqueita died at the scene, police said, and Willie is still recovering from her injuries.
Jones remains in jail with no bond and faces charges of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and burglary.
Records show that Stanley Jones was arrested in February and charged with aggravated stalking.
Police say he spray-painted obscenities on his ex-wife's home and left 19 voice messages. He served seven months in jail, was released at the end of October and again began stalking the woman, police said.
At the time of the attack, Willie had an injunction against Jones who was wanted for aggravated stalking.
While some of Jones' charges automatically have no bond, a no-contact order has been put in place against Jones regarding his former wife.
"That includes no phone calls from the Pinellas County Jail, it also includes no third party contact which means don’t asks someone to make contact with her for you." the judge told Jones.
As of right now, no future court dates for Jones have been set.
Dad Wants People to Remember His Daughter's Life
Marvin Maynard, Marqueita's father, says his daughter was called "Rae." He says she was always happy, and loved her family.
“She was a proud person, she loved the game of tennis, she loved sports period," said Marvin Maynard.
He says she was passionate about tennis and played throughout high school and college. He says she often helped teach kids the game.
"I want everybody to remember her by her giving back to the sport of tennis like she did," Maynard said.
Marqueita's family has created a GoFundMe page to help raise money for Marqueita's funeral costs.
Maynard says when Willie and Marqueita walked into the house, after returning home from a cruise celebrating Marqueita's 34th birthday, Jones attacked them.
“My daughter, knowing her, what she was doing was fighting him to keep him off her mom. Protecting her mom. She gave her life for her mom," said Marvin Maynard.
Maynard says Willie, his ex-wife, expressed concerns about Jones in the past.
“She hoped that the police (would) do their job, and they put a restraining order on him, but what good did it do?" said Marvin Maynard.
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