Jonathan Foster Torched to Death by Angry Woman

On Christmas Eve 2010, 12-year-old Jonathan Foster eagerly waited for Santa’s arrival. Like most kids, he was very excited to open presents, eat a special dinner, and visit with family.

Instead, Jonathan’s life was taken by a woman named Mona Nelson who kidnapped the boy and then burned him alive using a blowtorch.

Meeting a Friend

Prosecutors in the case say Nelson became outraged when Jonathan refused to open the door to the apartment of Sharon Ennamorato. Sharon and Nelson were good friends. After Nelson visited Sharon at the restaurant she worked, she went to her apartment to wait for her to get off work and return home per her friend’s request.

Before leaving for work, Sharon told Jonathan, who lived with Sharon and his mom in the apartment, not to let anyone in the home while she was gone. Jonathan followed directions and that cost him his life.

Angry & Violent Person

Nelson had been drinking all day and was known to become angry and violent when drunk. When Jonathan refused to open the door, Nelson pushed her way inside, grabbed Jonathan and took him to her home.

The former boxer turned welder then tied Jonathan to a chair. Nelson may or may not have tortured Jonathan in the four hours she held him at her home before finally burning every inch of his body with a welder’s blow torch.

Jonathan’s charred remains were found in a culvert the next day. Police then discovered surveillance footage that showed Nelson getting out of her truck, dumping something nearby the area where Jonathan's remains were found.

I’m Not a Monster

Nelson was arrested and charged with Jonathan’s murder. During an interview with KTRK, Nelson stated that she is “not a monster.” Houston Police Officer Mike Miller told a much different version of Mona Nelson during a press conference after the murders.

"She is a cold, soulless murderer who showed an absolute lack of remorse in taking the life of Jonathan Foster," Houston Police Officer Mike Miller said. "There's only been one or two people I've ever talked to that had eyes like she did; it was pretty cold."

Miller also believes that Nelson has hurt other people before Jonathan.

"Do I believe she's done it before? Yeah, I do. I don't believe she began and ended with the abduction of Jonathan Foster, I don't," Miller said.

Nelson Says She Dumped Trash for Stepdad

Nelson told police that it was her truck seen in the surveillance footage, but that the boy’s estranged stepfather was with her because he asked her for help getting rid of a full trash can. She told police that he offered her $20 to dump the tote of trash and she agreed.

The problem with that story is that Jonathan’s body was not found in a tote and surveillance shows her dumping something that, while cannot be clearly identified, is not a tote.

Stepfather Cleared of Wrongdoing

The stepfather was cleared of any wrongdoing after police viewed surveillance footage showing him at a bar at the time of the kidnapping and murder.

Life In Prison

Nelson was arrested and charged with capital murder. She was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.

“I’m innocent, I maintain my innocence,” Nelson said in court after the verdict was read.

Police did not uncover any physical or DNA evidence connecting Nelson to the murder.

Resources/Additional Information:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/mona-nelson-accused-burning-jonathan-foster-shes-monster/story?id=12514556

https://murderpedia.org/female.N/n/nelson-mona.htm

https://www.click2houston.com/news/2013/08/28/mona-nelson-found-guilty-in-murder-of-12-year-old-jonathan-foster/

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