Jennifer Robinson, 18
Summary of Offense:
On May 8, 1998, Jonathan Lawrence took Jeremiah Rodgers to pick up Jennifer Robinson from her mother’s house to take her out on a date. The following day, Robinson’s mother contacted the police to report her daughter missing, since she never returned from her date with Rodgers.
Police also received a phone call from Rodgers’ brother, Elijah. Rodgers had told Elijah what happened on the date with Robinson. He told him that Lawrence had shot Robinson and he had Polaroid pictures of her dead body to prove it. Elijah told the police that Lawrence was responsible for the murder. Police arrested Lawrence and then arrested Rodgers.
In Rodgers’ original statement, he said Lawrence planned to pick up his girlfriend to join them on the date. Lawrence never went to his girlfriend’s house. Instead, he drove out into the woods. While parked in the woods, the three drank alcohol and Rodgers and Lawrence supposedly both had sex with Robinson. At one point, Rodgers walked away to go to the bathroom. He heard a gunshot and went back to the truck. He saw Robinson dead and Lawrence with a gun. Robinson had been shot in the back of the head.
Rodgers and Lawrence then took Robinson’s body further into the woods. They mutilated her calf, removing the muscle and cut her forehead. They took turns posing with Robinson’s mutilated body and took Polaroid pictures. Rodgers and Lawrence attempted to burn Robinson’s body but were unsuccessful and buried her remains.
The removed portion of Robinson’s leg was later found in a freezer at Lawrence’s house. At Lawrence’s house, police also discovered books describing human anatomy and surgery, a hand gun and some of the Polaroid pictures. Later, Rodgers confessed he was the one who shot Robinson.
Rodgers pled guilty to all counts and was sentenced to death in Santa Rosa County on November 21, 2000.
Jonathan Huey Lawrence was also sentenced to death.
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