Crime & Safety

Topside Chef Killed by Family Member in Colorado

John Jones, known as Okie to friends in Montauk, was allegedly thought to be an intruder, according to The Denver Post.

A man with long-standing ties to Montauk was killed in Colorodo in a case of alleged mistaken identity this weekend.

John Jones, known as "Okie" and who worked at the Gosman family restaurants for many years, was stabbed to death in Littleton after a family member mistook him for an intruder on Saturday night, according to The Denver Post.

The Arapahoe County Coroner's office said Jones, 48, died of multiple stab wounds and has ruled his death as a homicide, The Post reported on Wednesday.

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According to the report, police were called to a mobile home park about an intruder who had been stabbed at around 11:45 p.m. Jones died at the hospital.

So far no charges have been filed against the family member.

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Jones worked for the Gosman family for about 25 years, spending summers in Montauk, according to Robert Gosman, who called Jones one of his best friends. He started working at and then later at and , where he was an executive chef.

"We're still basically in a state of shock out here," Gosman said. A number of his family members who knew Jones well plan on flying out to Colorado for the services and hope to hold a memorial service for him in Montauk before the start of the summer season.

"His heart was as big as Montauk," Gosman said while remembering him as "a gentle giant" and a good natured man. "He was always smiling. You very rarely would ever see him get angry or mad and even if he did it was over in 10 seconds," Gosman said.

Jones, whose full name was John Thomas Jones, ended up with the nickname of "Okie" because he was originally from Oklahoma, Gosman said. The Gosman family was expecting him back in mid-April ahead of the summer season.

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