Man Murdered Wife in Front of Kids After She Asked for Divorce, Then Fled for 18 Months Before Dramatic Capture

Mar. 15, 2025

Cynthia and Jonathan Bates.Photo:Cynde Bates/Facebook; Paulding County Sheriff’s Office

Cynde Bates/Facebook; Paulding County Sheriff’s Office

A Georgia man who was convicted of murdering his wife in front of his two children has been sentenced to life behind bars.

Jonathan Bates, who evaded authorities for 18 months following his wife’s 2017 killing, was sentenced to life in prison this week, according to theAtlanta Journal-Constitution.

Paulding County Chief Judge Tony Beavers previously threw out the original murder charge against Bates, only seeking to convict him of battery. But then Bates skipped out on his 2022 court appearance, leading to his extended time on the lam.

Jonathan Bates.Dawson County Sheriff’s Office

Dawson County Sheriff’s Office

His wife Cynthia’s family was enraged when the judge threw out Bates’ murder charge at first, launching an online petition that gathered more than 11,600 signatures calling for Beavers’ removal from the bench.

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The Bates’ two young children, aged 4 and 7 at the time of Cynthia’s murder, were home when their mother was killed, localFox 5had reported. The children ran to a neighbor’s house after witnessing the incident.

“Her kids are lost without her,” Bates' sister Sandy Dementtoldthe local news channel in a 2017 interview. “Her family is lost without her. We don’t get to talk to her anymore.”

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

source: people.com