The Tragic Murder of Naomi Jones: Sex offender sentenced to life for 12-year-old's Rape and Murder

On May 31, 2017, 12-year-old Naomi Jones disappeared from her home in Pensacola, Florida.

Her disappearance quickly grabbed the community's attention, leading to a major search that would reveal a heartbreaking tragedy.

This blog post explores Naomi’s case in detail, from her initial disappearance to the trial that aimed to bring justice for her tragic death.

Naomi Jones

Overview

Naomi Jones was a lively and friendly young girl, known for her mature attitude and energetic personality.

Her sudden disappearance surprised everyone and sent shockwaves through her neighborhood. 

While local authorities and volunteers worked hard to find her, family and friends were anxious and unsure of the outcome.

The community’s thorough search for Naomi ended when fishermen found her body.

On June 5, 2017, five days after Naomi went missing, her body was found in a creek about five miles from her apartment.

Naomi was found wrapped in duct tape, highlighting the brutality of her death.

Naomi’s body had decomposed significantly, making it difficult to obtain usable fingerprints or clear DNA evidence.

The creek where Naomi was found, about five miles from her home, became a major focus of the investigation.

The bridge where Naomi was found

Investigation 

Robert Letroy Howard, a convicted sex offender who lived in the same neighborhood as Naomi’s family was identified.

Howard was taken into custody on June 8, 2017.

This came after detectives gathered several pieces of incriminating evidence against him.

Howard, 42, initially gave false information about his whereabouts during the investigation.

He claimed to be in Alabama, but surveillance footage and phone records placed him near the crime scene.

This discrepancy led investigators to scrutinize him more closely.

During a lengthy interrogation, Howard confessed to choking Naomi. 

He said that Naomi made advances toward him, which made him to react violently in a moment of panic.

Here are some excerpts from his confession video to show how he described the incident.

Trial and Justice 

The trial of Robert Letroy Howard was lengthy and emotional.

It lasted four years and really caused immense pain to the Naomi's family.

Prosecutors presented over three hours of Howard’s confession to the court, providing a detailed and disturbing account of the murder.

Howard’s claim that he did not intend to kill Naomi was contradicted by the evidence. 

This included the fact that Naomi’s body was found in a condition that indicated a deliberate attempt to hide her remains 

Robert Letroy Howard

After four years of legal delays, Robert Letroy Howard was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder.

The jury’s decision came swiftly after closing arguments, which included a powerful emotional testimony from Naomi’s family.

Naomi’s mother, Shantara Hurry, addressed the court with deep grief, highlighting the immense void left by her daughter’s death.

“What I lost is indescribable. I lost a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, a great-granddaughter,” she said with her voice breaking. 

“I am thankful for justice being served on my daughter's behalf today, and I will never forgive him for what he did to my child.”

Her brother, Emmanuel Hurry, shared similar feelings.

He expressed his anger and lack of sympathy for Howard by confronting him directly in court, questioning both his actions and character.

Robert Letroy Howard was sentenced to life without parole in 2021.

Shantara Hurry has since dedicated herself to raising awareness about child protection, ensuring that Naomi’s memory lives on.

The full video of his interrogation and a more in-depth analysis of the case is here

In a separate case, a former NFL player was sentenced to 10 years to life in prison for killing his girlfriend's 5-year-old daughter.

He forced her to do intense exercises, saying she was "chunky," which ultimately led to her death.

Click here for more details.

Sources:

https://www.weartv.com/amp/news/local/video-shows-howard-jones-telling-investigators-he-choked-12-year-old-naomi-jones

https://www.pnj.com/story/news/crime/2021/08/12/naomi-jones-trial-jury-deliberates-trial-man-accused-killing-child/8108262002/