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Thread: Robert Letroy Howard Sentenced to LWOP in 2017 FL Slaying of 12-Year-Old Naomi Jones

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    Robert Letroy Howard Sentenced to LWOP in 2017 FL Slaying of 12-Year-Old Naomi Jones


    Naomi Jones




    Convicted sex offender arrested for Naomi Jones murder

    By Kevin Robinson
    The Pensacola News Journal

    Investigators have arrested a suspect in the homicide of Naomi Jones.

    Robert Letroy Howard, 38, has been arrested for the 12-year-old's murder. Investigators first identified Howard during a neighborhood canvas, where they found Howard was in the area during the time Naomi went missing. Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said Howard provided false information about his whereabouts during that time, saying he as in Alabama where he lives.

    More: Naomi Jones likely died within first 24-36 hours

    Howard was a frequent visitor to Aspen Village, where Naomi lived and was known to the child. Howard's girlfriend lives at Aspen Village.

    "We have found our monster," ECSO Chief Deputy Chip Simmons said during Thursday's press conference.

    Howard is a convicted felon, and served 15 years for two counts of sexual assault and rape. Morgan said Howard was seen on surveillance footage by the creek where Naomi's body was found, and from there he was put under surveillance. ECSO took him into custody soon after, Morgan said Thursday, and arrested him following an interview.

    "Over the past week we haven't had many good days. Today is a good day," Simmons said.

    Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille said Howard's first court appearance will be tomorrow, during which his office will ask that no bond be given. They will review the evidence, but will likely file first degree murder charges and will possibly seek the death penalty.

    More: Remembrance event for Naomi Jones set for tonight

    Howard, a resident of Brewton, Ala., was convicted in 1999 of sexually assaulting two adult women, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Community Information Center. His address was last verified June 1, the day after Naomi's murder.

    Naomi went missing from her Aspen Village Apartments home on May 31. The last known contact she had with anyone was when she sent a Facebook message to a friend at 12:21 p.m., according to Morgan.

    Morgan said he won't comment on the possible sexual nature of the attack, nor if the girl put up a fight before she was killed.

    Naomi's autopsy showed she likely died within 24 and 36 hours of going missing, Morgan said, and her cause of death was asphyxiation. It's possible Naomi was targeted by a sexual predator she met on social media,

    Morgan said in a press conference Wednesday.

    Investigators have reason to believe Naomi was transported from her neighborhood soon after she went missing, based on the fact that no witnesses in the area saw anything questionable.

    The investigation, which has now spanned more than a week, has encompassed the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the FBI, ECSO, and the State Attorney's Office.

    Hundreds of community members helped in the search effort for the missing girl between May 31 and June 5 when Naomi's body was found in Eight Mile Creek by two fishermen.

    A vigil will be held for Naomi tonight at 7 p.m. in the back parking lot of Olive Baptist Church.

    http://www.pnj.com/story/news/crime/...ion/380112001/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    State could seek death penalty for Naomi Jones' alleged killer

    By Kevin Robinson
    Pensacola News Journal

    The man accused of murdering 12-year-old Pensacola girl Naomi Jones has been denied bond.

    Robert Letroy Howard, 38, made his first appearance in court Friday morning via video conferencing. At the hearing, Judge Joyce H. Williams determined there was probable cause for the State Attorney's Office to charge Howard with first-degree murder, kidnapping and failure to register as a sex offender.

    In a press conference following the hearing, Assistant State Attorney Greg Marcille said the state will present to a grand jury within the next two weeks its reasons for charging Howard. If the grand jury indicts Howard on the charges, the state will then decide whether or not to pursue the death penalty.

    More: Hundreds gather to honor Naomi Jones at vigil

    Marcille said he anticipates that decision will be made before Howard's arraignment June 30.

    Marcille added the state is still investigating and reviewing the facts of the case, but at this point "the factors of the case do indicate there are circumstances that would justify the death sentence."

    A few of the factors under consideration are Naomi's age and whether her death was heinous, atrocious or cruel. Another factor will be Howard's previous criminal history.

    Howard, of Brewton, Alabama, is a convicted felon who served 15 years in prison for two counts of rape. According to Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Community Information Center, Howard was arrested Dec. 8, 1998, and convicted Sept. 1, 1999, in Escambia County, Alabama. Howard’s address in Brewton was last verified the day after Naomi’s murder.

    Marcille said the state is reviewing the information on Howard's previous convictions.

    "If the prior cases do constitute a violent felony, then we could consider those in seeking a sentence," Marcille said.

    Howard was given a $600,000 bond for his failure to register charge, but was denied bond on the murder and kidnapping charges. Procedurally, the no bond takes priority, meaning Howard will remain in jail until his trial unless a judge orders otherwise.

    Howard developed as a person of interest in Naomi's disappearance June 2, two days after the 12-year-old went missing, according to his arrest report.

    Naomi lived in Aspen Village Apartments on East Johnson Avenue, the same complex where Howard's girlfriend resides. During a neighborhood canvas, Howard reportedly gave investigators inconsistent statements about his whereabouts at the time of Naomi's disappearance.

    Naomi was found deceased in a creek bed near Ashland Avenue and Detroit Boulevard June 5.

    On June 7, investigators recovered surveillance video from a business in the area. It allegedly showed Howard's silver Nissan Altima traveling around the intersection and bridge near the creek bed around 2:35 a.m. June 1, approximately 14 hours after Naomi disappeared.

    Investigators re-interviewed Howard later in the day on June 7. According to the report, he told them he had been in Brewton when Naomi disappeared and had nothing to do with the case. He reportedly also said he had never been in the area of Detroit Boulevard and Ashland Avenue.

    Howard was ultimately arrested early the morning of June 8 while he was still in interviews with investigators.

    During the process, he reportedly told investigators he stayed at his girlfriend's apartment three nights a week, but was not required to register as a sex offender in Florida if he did not stay more than three days at a time.

    According to the arrest report, Howard was required to register with Florida as a sex offender if he spent more than five days at one address in the state during any calendar year.

    Howard will be formally charged at his arraignment June 30, when he will have the opportunity to enter a plea to the charges. He was assigned a pubic defender Friday.

    http://www.pnj.com/story/news/crime/...der/382039001/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    BREAKING: Robert Howard Indicted For Murder Of Naomi Jones, Faces Death Penalty

    By J.B. Biunno and Hayley Minogue
    WKRG News

    PENSACOLA, FL (WKRG) — Florida prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for the man accused of murdering 12-year-old Naomi Jones.

    Florida State Attorney Bill Eddins says Robert Howard faces capital murder in the death of Jones, who Eddins confirmed died of asphyxiation.

    Howard is a convicted sex offender who reportedly lied to authorities about his whereabouts at the time of Jones’ disappearance. Authorities say he was in the area when Jones disappeared, though more indisputable evidence has not been made public as the investigation has continued to develop.

    Eddins says an additional tests are being conducted on Jones’ body to determine any further charges. He won’t confirm whether or not Jones was sexually abused before or after her death.

    http://wkrg.com/2017/06/20/breaking-...death-penalty/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Convicted Sex Offender Enters Plea In Naomi Jones Murder

    By NorthEscambia.com

    The convicted sex offender charged with killing a 12-year-old girl has entered a not guilty plea, despite an earlier admission to investigators.

    The written plea and waiver of appearance were filed in court by the public defender for 38-year old Robert Letroy Howard. With the entry, Howard will not appear in court Friday for a scheduled arraignment hearing.

    Prosecutors say Howard kidnapped, murdered and dumped the body of 12-year old Naomi Jones. He remains in the Escambia County Jail without bond charged with first degree premeditated murder. He is also charged with failure to register as a sex offender in the State of Florida.

    Authorities say Howard was living with his girlfriend in the same apartment complex in which Jones lived in the 1400 block of East Johnson Avenue. He lived in a nearly adjacent apartment to Jones. She was last seen May 31 in that apartment complex.

    Jones likely died within 24 to 36 hours after her May 31 disappearance, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan said. Her body was then later dumped into Eight Mile Creek, some 4-5 miles away, where it was found days later by two men looking for a fishing location.

    According to court documents, Howard admitted to being at the apartment complex the day Jones went missing and having contact with her at his apartment. He became extremely angry and committed “a violent act” against Jones causing her death. He then placed her body in the backseat of his Nissan Altima and traveled to multiple locations, including Brewton, AL, before returning to Pensacola and throwing Jones’ body into the creek.

    http://www.northescambia.com/2017/06...i-jones-murder
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Naomi Jones autopsy sheds more light on 12-year-old's death

    By Kevin Robinson
    Pensacola News Journal

    An autopsy report has shed a bit more light on the death of Naomi Jones, a 12-year-old who officials said was kidnapped and killed earlier this year.

    Naomi's remains were recovered on June 5 from Eight Mile Creek near Ashland Avenue and Detroit Boulevard. The next day, the Medical Examiner's Office completed an autopsy that confirmed Naomi's manner of death was homicide.

    Naomi had duct tape and a portion of plastic material stuck in her hair. There was bruising on her right elbow and right leg. A toxicology determined there were traces of ethanol in her system.

    The medical examiner's report listed Naomi's cause of death as "homicide violence of undetermined means," but a search warrant application from the Sheriff's Office later indicated asphyxia had been identified as a possible cause of death.

    Robert Letroy Howard, 38, has been charged with first-degree murder in Naomi's death. Howard was a registered sex offender in Alabama at the time of the alleged offense.

    The State Attorney's Office is seeking the death penalty against Howard on the grounds he was previously convicted of a felony offense involving the threat or use of violence, and his alleged current offense was committed while he was engaged in the commission of or attempt to commit sexual battery and/or kidnapping.

    Naomi was first reported missing May 31 after leaving home and failing to return. Over the next five days, hundreds of law enforcement officers, search and rescue personnel and private citizens helped comb northern Pensacola to find her.

    Deputies canvassing the area identified Howard identified as a person of interest, and surveillance footage and cellphone records reportedly placed Howard in the area where Naomi's remains were recovered.

    Howard allegedly admitted to having contact with Naomi the day she went missing and "committing a violent act that caused her death," according to the search warrant affidavit.

    Howard has since pleaded not guilty to the murder. He is being represented by Spiro Kypreos, according to court records. Assistant State Attorney Bridgette Jensen is prosecuting the case.

    http://www.pnj.com/story/news/2017/0...ath/684548001/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Senior Member CnCP Legend CharlesMartel's Avatar
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    Naomi Jones' accused murderer Robert Letroy wants confession suppressed at trial

    By Kevin Robinson
    Pensacola News Journal

    An Alabama sex offender accused of murdering 12-year-old Pensacola girl Naomi Jones is seeking to have his confession suppressed at trial.

    Robert Letroy Howard, 39, of Brewton, Alabama, is charged with premeditated first-degree murder in Naomi's death. Hundreds of volunteers spent days combing the Ferry Pass area for Naomi after the girl went missing from her apartment complex May 31, 2017. Her remains were recovered from a creek on June 5, and sheriff's deputies ultimately identified Howard as the prime suspect in the crime and arrested him.

    In separate motions filed last month, Howard's appointed public defenders raised two concerns: that Howard was arrested without legitimate probable cause, and that during an interrogation deputies used threats and implied promises to coerce him into confessing to the killing.

    Defense attorneys argue those alleged missteps make key elements of the prosecution's evidence the "fruit of a poisonous tree" — meaning they were obtained through illegal means and are thus inadmissible in court.

    Howard initially became a suspect in Naomi's disappearance because he is a registered sex offender in Alabama, and he was visiting the apartment complex where Naomi lived on the day she disappeared, according to court documents.

    Investigators applied for a warrant to get Howard's cell phone data on June 5, the same day Naomi's remains was found.

    On June 6 investigators received the data from Howard's phone. They allegedly learned Howard had been in the area where Naomi's remains were found the morning of June 1, which was roughly 12-14 hours after Naomi was last seen publicly.

    Howard was arrested as a result of that discovery. After four hours of interrogation, he allegedly told investigators that Naomi had come to his girlfriend's home uninvited, claiming the 12-year-old propositioned him, and he strangled the girl because she made him angry.

    However, if the defense has its way, that allegation will be excluded from the trial.

    Attorneys for Howard argue investigators did not have probable cause to request Howard's cell phone data on June 5, so the search of his cell phone data was unlawful. The argument continues that since the data about Howard's location June 1 was obtained illegally, deputies had no legal probable cause to arrest Howard for murder.

    Howard's defense team also alleges investigators used illegal methods to obtain a confession once he was in custody.

    Attorneys wrote that when the interrogation first started, investigators told Howard he was not under arrest and they just wanted to ask him a few questions.

    Investigators did read Howard his Miranda rights. Still, Howard's attorneys argue that by misrepresenting Howard's legal status, "the investigators' scheme was to falsely put Howard at ease to induce him to treat the reading of Miranda rights lightly by creating the false impression he faced no legal jeopardy."

    The stakes of the interrogation allegedly escalated quickly.

    Howard's attorneys allege the investigator repeatedly told Howard he was a "monster," and that if he showed no remorse and kept denying the murder, he was sure to receive the death penalty.

    Howard's attorneys admit investigators told Howard multiple times they could make no guarantees about what his sentence would be regardless of whether he confessed or not. Still, those comments were made in the context "of numerous threats of certain execution throughout the interview and repeated implied promises of life (in prison rather than the death sentence) if Howard confessed," the attorneys allege.

    The defense argues because of the circumstances around the confession — "the lies as to his legal status, the deaths threats and false promises" — it must be deemed involuntarily-given and suppressed at trial.

    The prosecution has not yet filed responses to the defense's motion, but a hearing on the motions has been scheduled before Judge Gary Bergosh at 1:45 p.m. Aug. 15.

    If convicted as charged, Howard faces a minimum of life in prison. The State Attorney's Office is seeking the death penalty in the case.

    https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2018/...sed/879624002/
    Last edited by CharlesMartel; 08-02-2018 at 08:36 AM. Reason: spacing
    In the Shadow of Your Wings
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    Judge reviewing claim Naomi Jones murder suspect 'coerced' into confession

    By Kevin Robinson
    Pensacola News Journal

    A judge is weighing whether investigators used unlawful methods to draw a confession out of the man accused of killing 12-year-old Naomi Jones.

    In a hearing Wednesday afternoon, an attorney for Robert Howard argued that Howard was coerced into admitting to the 2017 murder by investigators who lied about his arrest status. The attorney also alleged the investigators implied Howard would receive leniency if he confessed and the death penalty if he didn't.

    Prosecutors countered that the officers' conduct was completely within the bounds of the law, and Howard's confession had been an act of self-preservation, not the product of deceit or misconduct.

    Naomi Jones was reported missing May 31, 2017, and investigators testified Wednesday that Howard quickly became a person of interest.

    Howard was designated as a sex offender in Alabama after he was convicted of sexually assaulting two under-aged girls in 1999. He often stayed the night with his girlfriend, who lived in an apartment building adjacent to Naomi's on Johnson Avenue.

    He was interviewed at the apartments by investigators three times between June 2 and June 5, 2017, and he allegedly gave officers multiple conflicting statements.

    On June 5, investigators found Naomi deceased and unclothed from the waist down in a creek about three miles from the apartment complex. Investigators also uncovered surveillance footage that showed Howard's car in the area where Naomi's remains were recovered, and on June 7 investigators received cellphone location data that also linked Howard to the location.

    Spiro Kypreos, an assistant public defender, based much of his argument around the circumstances of Howard's "arrest" on June 7. When Howard was taken into custody, he was handcuffed and transported to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office to be interviewed, which investigators admitted technically amounted to an arrest.

    However, in the interview room, Howard was uncuffed and told he wasn't under arrest. Although Howard was read his Miranda rights, Kypreos argues investigators initially deceived Howard about his status so that he would be more likely to cooperate.

    The officers allegedly made references that a jury would perceive Howard as a "monster" and a cold-blooded killer if he didn't provide an explanation of what happened to Naomi. They also said his only chance at avoiding the "dirty needle" used to deliver lethal injections would be to confess to what really happened.

    Howard reportedly said he knew making a confession might not affect his sentence, and investigators confirmed they couldn't make any decisions or promises about his ultimate fate. Still, he admitted to investigators he grew angry and strangled Naomi after she came to his home and propositioned him.

    Kypreos said when taken in totality, the confession had to be viewed as taken under duress.

    "They don't have to physically put a gun to somebody's head for it to be coercive," Kypreos said.

    Assistant State Attorney Bridgette Jensen emphasized that Howard himself admitted that he knew his fate was ultimately up to a judge and jury, invalidating Kypreos' claims investigators coerced him.

    She also pointed out that in the context of the full five-and-a-half-hour interrogation, the alleged coercion constituted about 12 minutes of the conversation.

    "There's no bullying," Jensen told Judge Gary Bergosh. "The interview was calm, conversational and it was respectful. It was nothing as forceful and dramatic as the defense makes it sound."

    The defense is requesting to have Howard's confession suppressed at trial.

    Bergosh did not rule on the request Wednesday night, but he advised the court he would file a decision within 30 days.

    https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2018/...ced/992810002/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Naomi Jones murder: Accused killer's confession ruled admissible in court

    By Kevin Robinson
    Pensacola News Journal

    A judge determined investigators were within the bounds of the law when they obtained a murder confession from a man who claimed he didn't realize he was under arrest.

    Robert Letroy Howard, 39, is a convicted Alabama sex offender who is now charged with first-degree murder in the death of 12-year-old Naomi Jones. The Ensley girl went missing from her apartment May 31, 2017, setting off a community-wide search that ended when Naomi's remains were found in a creek June 5.

    Howard was arrested June 7, 2017, and early the morning of June 8, 2017, he allegedly admitted to strangling Naomi and throwing her body off a bridge. However, Howard's attorney argued the confession should be suppressed at trial because Howard was incorrectly told he was not under arrest when his was brought into the Sheriff's Office for questioning.

    The defense argued the investigator's "deception" gave Howard "no objective reason to think he had been seized" and was "in legal danger." Howard's counsel also argued that Howard was coerced into confessing because investigators implied the only way he could escape the death penalty was by admitting his guilt.

    Judge Gary Bergosh filed a written order Tuesday finding Howard's rights were not violated and his confession was given willingly.

    The judge wrote that while Howard was certainly "misadvised" when he was told he was not under arrest, this error did not render his confession involuntary.

    On June 7, 2017, deputies handcuffed Howard and placed him in a vehicle to be transported to the Escambia County Sheriff's Office. Bergosh wrote that legal precedent had established an officer "does not have to specifically tell the detained person that he or she is under arrest; all that is required is that the officer's conduct inform the person that he or she is under arrest."

    Bergosh noted that Howard was informed during his interrogation that he had been detained in connection with Naomi's death. Howard was also read his Miranda rights, and he reportedly did not confess until hours into the interview when investigators said they had evidence linking Howard to a crime scene.

    The judge also addressed the defendant's claims that investigators coerced him into confessing by stating he would receive the death penalty if he didn't confess.

    During the interview, Howard reportedly said "There's no guarantee that ... they will have any kind of sympathy or mercy on me regardless of how I present myself or whatever I say ... I can still very well get the death penalty," a sign to the judge that Howard understood the full implications of his confession and that it was admissible as evidence.

    In a separate ruling, Bergosh also dismissed a motion to suppress cellphone location data taken from Howard's phone records. Howard's attorney argued the data was seized without probable cause.

    The search warrant affidavit said that Howard, a known sexual offender, could be placed at the apartment complex at the approximate time Naomi disappeared, which Bergosh found to be sufficient probable cause.

    Howard was designated as a sex offender in Alabama after he was convicted of sexually assaulting two under-aged girls in 1999.

    The State Attorney's Office has announced its intention to seek the death penalty against Howard for aggravating factors such as Naomi's age and Howard's previous criminal history. Assistant State Attorney Bridgette Jensen will prosecute the case for the state, and Spiro Kypreos, an assistant public defender, is representing Howard.

    A trial date has not yet been set.

    https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2018/...ge/1525716002/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Nearly three years after Naomi Jones was killed, trial is set for murder suspect

    By Colin Warren-Hicks
    Pensacola News Journal

    A date has been scheduled for the murder trial of a convicted sex offender accused of killing 12-year-old Naomi Jones in 2017.

    The trial of Robert Letroy Howard is set to begin March 16 in Escambia County Court. The state is seeking the death penalty.

    Jones is accused of killing Jones after she disappeared from an apartment complex on May 31, 2017. Her remains were recovered four miles away at Eight Mile Creek during a neighborhood canvas June 5, 2017.

    Shortly after the discovery, Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan hinted during a press conference that Jones may have become the target of a sexual predator who she may have interacted with via social media.

    A convicted sex offender, Howard served 15 years in prison for two counts of sexual assault and rape after a 1999 conviction in Escambia County, Alabama, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Community Information Center.

    Howard's girlfriend lived in the same apartments as Jones, and Howard was a frequent visitor to the complex.

    ECSO deputies arrested Howard after learning he was in the apartment complex area around the same time that Jones disappeared and then gave false information about his whereabouts to investigators, Morgan said at a 2017 press conference.

    Jones was booked into the Escambia County Jail on June 8, 2017.

    The day Jones body was finally found, a crowd of hundreds gathered outside of Olive Baptist Church for a candlelight vigil honoring the 12-year-old's memory.

    https://www.pnj.com/story/news/crime...rd/4622840002/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Edited:

    State no longer seeking death penalty for Naomi Jones murder suspect

    By Kevin Robinson
    Pensacola News Journal

    A week out from the trial of an Alabama man accused of murdering a 12-year-old Pensacola girl, state prosecutors have announced they will no longer seek the death penalty in the case.

    Robert Howard is charged with first-degree murder in the 2017 disappearance and death of Naomi Jones, who went missing from her apartment and was found dead in a nearby creek about a week later. Surveillance video placed Howard's car in the area where Naomi was recovered, and during a law enforcement interrogation, he allegedly confessed to killing the child.

    Initially, the State Attorney's Office announced Howard's history of prior sex offenses and the victim's young age compelled them to seek the death penalty.

    However in a press release Wednesday, the state said, "additional witness information and evidence has developed in the Robert Letroy Howard case. As a result of those developments and evidence, it is no longer appropriate to seek the death penalty in this case. The mother of the victim was consulted and is in agreement with this decision."

    The state did not provide any additional information about the nature of the evidence, but in a court appearance Monday, attorneys said they had recently sent off previously untested DNA evidence for lab analysis.

    Attorneys are scheduled to have a pre-trial conference in Howard's case Friday. Additional details about the new developments in the case could arise then.

    https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/...le/5023860002/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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