ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The boyfriend of the missing Vero Beach woman found dead in her car Monday was in court in St. Lucie County Tuesday on first appearance for his probation violation charge.
The court decided Michael Jones, 31, of Vero Beach, would be held without bond in Broward County because, as the State Attorney’s Office argued, he is “a prime suspect” in Diana Duve’s homicide.
Jones was on probation for aggravated stalking and aggravated stalking with a firearm charges out of Broward County dating back to 2012. The charges do not appear to be connected to Duve.
His probation had been transferred to Indian River County when he began working for PNC Bank in Vero Beach in the wealth management department.
When he was arrested Monday morning on violating the terms of his probation, Jones told officers he was unaware of Duve’s whereabouts. Jones was found at a hotel in Ft. Pierce, though his car was located at the What-A-Tavern bar in Vero Beach, the last place Duve was seen before her disappearance.
Duve and her vehicle were found in a shopping plaza in Melbourne, Fla., north in Brevard County.
