Ohio man declared innocent after 27 years on death row, still waiting for state compensation as supporters launch GoFundMe

OHIO — Elwood Jones was declared innocent after spending 27 years on Ohio’s death row for a murder he did not commit. He is still waiting for compensation from state officials even though prosecutors dismissed the case against him on December 12, 2025.

Elwood Jones Case Dismissed After Nearly Three Decades

Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich formally dismissed the case after reviewing evidence that failed to link Jones to the 1994 murder of Rhoda Nathan. She said she was “not convinced that Mr. Jones killed Rhoda Nathan.”

Jones became the 12th person in Ohio to be wrongfully convicted, sentenced to death, and later exonerated. A judge granted him a new trial in 2022 after ruling that prosecutors withheld thousands of pages of evidence. He was released on bond in January 2023.

Compensation Could Take Years

Jones must be legally recognized as a wrongfully imprisoned individual before he can receive state compensation. That process can take months or years, leaving him without financial support despite nearly three decades of wrongful imprisonment.

He has lived with family since his release and hopes to secure stable housing once compensation arrives.

GoFundMe Helps Elwood Jones Rebuild His Life After Exoneration

Supporters launched a GoFundMe titled “27 Years Wrongly on Ohio’s Death Row: Help Elwood Jones, Jr. Rebuild.” The fundraiser aims to collect $27,000, representing $1,000 for each year he spent on death row.

Jones hopes to afford a place of his own and travel outside Hamilton County for the first time in decades. He also wants to attend the Innocence Network Conference and reconnect with the broader exoneree community.

He has already received small grants from the Michael Graham Death Row Survivors Legacy Fund and Amnesty International’s Hannah Grunwald Fund, which support exonerees with urgent needs.

Jones asked that 10% of all GoFundMe donations be directed to the Michael Graham fund to help other death row survivors who receive little or no compensation.

A Long Road After a Historic Exoneration

Jones’ case exposed major failures, including withheld evidence, limited investigation of other suspects, and flawed forensic claims. Prosecutors said a new trial would be “futile” because the state lacked evidence, witnesses, and credible science.

While the dismissal ended a decades‑long fight, Jones continues to rebuild his life with community support as he waits for long‑overdue compensation.