FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) – A man who spent months behind bars is breathing a sigh of relief after he was released from jail when new evidence proved he was innocent.<\/p>\n
Tyon Jacques spent part of his Wednesday afternoon playing with his cousin and enjoying time with his family after spending months in jail for a crime he didn\u2019t commit.<\/p>\n
\u201cContinue to thank God for the position that you are in. Once again, everybody is not as fortunate as me,\u201d said Jacques.<\/p>\n
Jacques was initially arrested in August 2025 for stealing a laptop during a social media marketplace meetup. At the time, he was already on probation for breaking into cars.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been trying to change my life, just trying to do better,\u201d said Jacques.<\/p>\n
Despite some solid evidence that placed Jacques at the scene, including a surveillance image that placed him there and positive identification by a deputy, his family said Jacques was recovering from meningitis at home after a weekend out of town when the crime occurred.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t justify wrongdoing. When they came to me and told me he broke in three cars, they didn\u2019t have to come and get him. I turned him in to them. That\u2019s the type of grandma I am,\u201d said Benita McKnight, Jacques\u2019 grandmother. \u201cBut robbing someone at gunpoint, at knifepoint, that\u2019s just not Tyon Jacques.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although his family provided an alibi for Jacques, he was still selected out of a lineup of potential suspects for the crime.<\/p>\n
The 20-year-old father of two remained in jail while authorities recovered the stolen laptop.<\/p>\n
As he awaited trial, Jacques\u2019 family pushed for DNA testing to prove his innocence. If he had been convicted, he could\u2019ve wound up spending decades in jail.<\/p>\n
The test could detect DNA remnants from microscopic skin cells left on the laptop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been asking since August, \u2018Where\u2019s the DNA? Where\u2019s the DNA?’\u201d said Benita.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did what we had to do for my nephew to be vindicated. We were calling people, we were asking for help,\u201d said Alexa McKnight, Jacques\u2019 aunt.<\/p>\n
Jacques said he gave a DNA sample after spending about two weeks in jail.<\/p>\n
Two months later, somebody else confessed in a signed affidavit to stealing the laptop. That prompted prosecutors to order the DNA test to confirm.<\/p>\n
The crime lab report, dated Jan 21., ruled out Jacques as a suspect, paving the way for his release in the following days.<\/p>\n
Jacques reflected on all the special moments and holidays he missed during his time behind bars.<\/p>\n
\u201cI missed Thanksgiving, my son\u2019s birthday. I missed my birthday, I missed my mother\u2019s birthday, my sister\u2019s birthday, I missed Christmas,\u201d said Jacques.<\/p>\n
His family said they\u2019re upset it took officials five months to clear his name.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor something you didn\u2019t do, one day is too long,\u201d said Alexa.<\/p>\n
The public defender\u2019s office acknowledged that the timeframe in Jacques\u2019 case isn\u2019t unusual and, in fact, other defendants are subjected to even longer waits.<\/p>\n
The Broward Sheriff\u2019s Office released a statement on the case:<\/p>\n
\u201cIn September, during the course of this investigation, Broward Sheriff\u2019s Office detectives submitted evidence for DNA analysis. DNA testing is a multi-step forensic process, and cases are prioritized along with urgent violent crimes. The process is thorough and entails multiple levels of analysis. So, it is not unusual for results to take some time.\u201d<\/p>\n
BSO said it handles 20,000 cases each year, and the rise in what\u2019s called touch DNA, which was used in Jacques case, has kept their labs even busier.<\/p>\n
The agency added that even when someone is arrested, the investigation into the case continues.<\/p>\n
During his Tuesday court appearance, the judge gave Jacques two years\u2019 probation on his original charge related to car thefts, but dropped the charges related to the stolen laptop case, allowing him to walk out of jail.<\/p>\n
After the monthslong ordeal came to an end, Jacques thanked his family for their persistence and unwavering belief in his innocence.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could\u2019ve been anyone. Sadly, it was me. I feel like the reason I\u2019m out right now today is because of my family, honestly,\u201d said Jacques. \u201cAnybody can change. They just need the right support.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for the person who confessed to stealing the laptop, prosecutors said they don\u2019t have full confidence he was the right person either.<\/p>\n
If you have any information on this crime, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a reward of up to $5,000.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.<\/p>\n
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