The Buckeye Police Department announced on Tuesday that the case against Jesse Wilson’s mother will not proceed due to insufficient evidence.

Crystal Wilson, the adoptive mother of Jesse, was taken into custody in Georgia in December 2022 following a lengthy inquiry into the vanishing and passing away of the 10-year-old boy.

In March 2023, Crystal Wilson was transported from Georgia to Maricopa County to answer for the accusations of abandoning and concealing a body.

 

The Buckeye Police Department released the following statement regarding its decision:

“We are disappointed the criminal case against Crystal Wilson will not be moving forward at this time. While Buckeye police worked closely with prosecutors to secure a grand jury indictment and make an arrest, it has been determined the evidence would not be enough to secure a conviction. We thank the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for their assistance.

To be clear, this is an active homicide investigation, and this department will not give up on Jesse.

The Buckeye Police Department understands its role and responsibility is to bring a successful outcome for a child who deserves justice. I have personally spoken with Jesse’s biological grandmother, and as a department, we share in the heartache she is feeling. Please keep Jesse and his loved ones in your thoughts.

This is a very complicated case, and we knew there would be challenges. The bottom line is Crystal Wilson is the only person who knows what happened to Jesse. Fortunately, the recent court action allows the Buckeye Police Department to present the case again when more information is developed.

Our commitment to Jesse remains strong as we continue to investigate.”

Crystal Wilson reported to authorities in July 2016 that Jesse Wilson had left their residence after she had tucked him into bed for the evening.

Jesse had been missing for several months and despite extensive efforts, it took until March 8, 2018 until the discovery of Jesse’s skeletal remains on the side of the road near Broadway and Oglesby. The cause of Jesse’s death could not be ascertained, according to the autopsy report released by authorities.

A month after Jesse’s disappearance, Crystal Wilson also went missing and was not seen until the discovery of the boy’s remains.

In November of 2020, a new detective was assigned to the investigation. On December 9 of 2022, Wilson was indicted by the Maricopa County Grand Jury.

According to Buckeye police, they maintain their belief that Crystal Wilson is the sole suspect in the case. They are committed to pursuing any fresh evidence that could result in a conviction.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office released the following statement regarding the dismissal of charges:

“The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office has filed a motion to dismiss without prejudice the case against Crystal Wilson. Wilson was facing one count of unlawful transport of a dead body. At this time, there was insufficient evidence to move forward with the trial against the defendant. If new evidence is discovered and brought by law enforcement in the future, the office is open to reexamining the case.”