This is the story of Richard Anthony Jones, the man who spent 17 years in jail for a crime committed by his doppelganger. 17 years of his life was wasted behind bars, but he came out without grudges and to the happy embrace of his family members.
A Crime in a Parking Lot
The story begins in 1999, in the parking lot of a Walmart in Roeland Park, Kansas. A woman was walking to her car when a man attempted to snatch her purse. She resisted. In the ensuing struggle, the man shoved her to the ground, scraping her knees. Failing to get the purse, the assailant grabbed her phone and fled the scene. It was a crime of opportunity, fast and chaotic—but legally, it qualified as aggravated robbery.
What followed next would be the catalyst for a nightmare that would engulf Richard Jones.
A Flawed Investigation
The police began their investigation by speaking to witnesses. The man who committed the robbery was described as a light-skinned African American or Hispanic male with long hair pulled back into cornrows. The attacker, they said, went by the name “Rick.”
A bystander had jotted down the license plate number of the getaway car. Police tracked the vehicle to a man who knew someone named Rick. That led them to a house, and eventually to a stack of mugshots. The witnesses, including the robbery victim, were shown a lineup of photos.
One of those photos belonged to Richard Anthony Jones.
Jones had a prior criminal record, but he had long since moved on from that life. At the time of the robbery, he had been at his girlfriend’s birthday party. Several people could vouch for his presence. They remembered him clearly—he wasn’t just another face in the crowd. He was part of the celebration.
Despite this, when the victim and other witnesses saw his photo in the lineup, they said he looked like the man who robbed the woman in the parking lot. Jones was arrested, charged, and taken to trial.
The Trial and Conviction
At trial, the eyewitness testimonies were the centerpiece of the prosecution’s case. They pointed at Jones. The victim was confident. A security guard also claimed Jones matched the description. But there was no DNA evidence. No fingerprints. No physical evidence tying Jones to the scene. Just identification based on a photograph.
Jones presented his alibi. His girlfriend and other partygoers testified that he had been with them during the time of the robbery. He told the jury he was innocent.
But the jury didn’t buy it.
Richard Anthony Jones was convicted of aggravated robbery and sentenced to 19 years in prison. The conviction would mark the beginning of an unimaginable ordeal—17 years of incarceration, isolation, and frustration.
A Chance at Redemption
After losing an appeal, Jones had little hope. Years passed. Then, through prison connections, he began to hear about someone else—another inmate who looked just like him. People were confusing the two regularly. Guards and inmates alike were struck by the resemblance.
This doppelganger was Ricky Lee Amos. Like Jones, he was light-skinned, wore cornrows, and had a similarly shaped face. They were close in age and complexion. To the untrained eye, they could pass for twins.
Eventually, Jones connected with the Midwest Innocence Project (MIP), a nonprofit dedicated to exonerating the wrongly convicted. The MIP worked in partnership with the University of Kansas School of Law’s Project for Innocence. When they began digging into Jones’ case, they quickly uncovered disturbing flaws in the original investigation.
The team tracked down Amos. They learned that he had lived at the house connected to the crime—the same address investigators had originally targeted. More importantly, he bore an uncanny resemblance to Jones.
Photos of both men were shown to the original eyewitnesses. This time, those witnesses weren’t so sure. Many of them couldn’t confidently say who had committed the robbery. The certainty they once had evaporated.
That uncertainty was enough to open the door.
Freedom at Last
In June 2017, nearly two decades after being wrongly imprisoned, a judge overturned Richard Anthony Jones’ conviction. On June 8, he walked out of prison a free man.
He had spent 17 years behind bars for a crime someone else committed. And the man believed to be responsible—Ricky Amos—would never be prosecuted. The statute of limitations had long expired.
Still, Jones bore no grudge against Amos. He simply wanted his life back.
“I don’t think so, because it’s not Ricky’s fault that this happened,” said Alice Craig, the lead attorney from the Innocence Project. “But ultimately he was the one we believe who was responsible for the crime.”
Amos never admitted guilt. But the evidence was overwhelming—he was the man police should have arrested in 1999. Instead, Jones paid the price.
A Historic Exoneration
Jones is the first to have his case resolved under Kansas’ mistaken-conviction statute. This statute allows people who were wrongfully convicted to receive compensation and other forms of relief.
In 2018, a Johnson County judge awarded Jones $1.1 million in compensation. He was also granted a certificate of innocence. His criminal record was expunged. Any biological samples collected during the case were ordered to be destroyed. Jones was allowed to enroll in the state’s healthcare benefits program for two years and offered counseling services to help him rebuild his life.
The ruling was historic not just for the state of Kansas, but for the broader movement for criminal justice reform. It sent a message that the system had failed—and that there would at least be an attempt at making amends.
The Midwest Innocence Project celebrated the moment with a message of hope:
“Richard spent 17 years in prison for a crime he did not commit due to eyewitness misidentification,” they posted on Facebook. “As a nonprofit, we depend 100% on your donations and we are thankful to all of our supporters. Please help us continue fighting for the wrongfully convicted in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and Arkansas.”
Jones’ case highlighted the dangers of relying too heavily on eyewitness identification. Even well-meaning, honest people can make devastating mistakes. Human memory, as it turns out, is fragile—and in the hands of the justice system, it can become a dangerous weapon.
Life After Prison
For Richard Anthony Jones, life after prison has been about rebuilding. He reconnected with his children, who had grown up without him. He worked to find peace and stability after losing 17 precious years. No amount of money could replace the memories, birthdays, or milestones he missed. But freedom was a start.
Jones has also become a symbol for others—those who remain imprisoned, fighting to prove their innocence. His story is a reminder of how deeply flawed the system can be, but also of how determined advocacy and persistence can lead to justice, even if it comes late.
He holds no bitterness, at least publicly. Instead, he carries a quiet dignity—a testament to resilience in the face of unrelenting injustice.
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