GULFPORT, MS – Police in Gulfport, Mississippi, have charged a woman with the murder of her son. His body was found tucked away in a wooden box, hidden behind a false wall in her home.
Jerri Roby, 66, also known as Israel, is now facing a count of first-degree murder following the discovery of the body of her 42-year-old son, John Allen Gaither. The information was confirmed by Gulfport Police Department spokesperson Jason DuCré on Sunday.
Investigations into Gaither’s whereabouts began on December 22, 2023, after an out-of-state relative reported him missing. Gaither had last been in touch with someone on December 10.
As the police pursued their investigation, Roby’s changing statements and increasing uncooperativeness triggered suspicions. Authorities further noted that Roby had previously been convicted for murder in Florida in the mid-90s and had made numerous attempts to dispose of a body across the state.
Upon securing a search warrant, police carried out a search at Roby’s house on January 18. Upon the arrival of authorities, Roby attempted suicide by consuming an unidentified number of pills, subsequently requiring hospitalization.
In the course of the household search, investigators found a concealed wooden box containing the body of the victim, confirmed as Gaither, behind a falsified wall. DuCré revealed that Roby tried to disguise the crime by impersonating her son in written notes to relatives claiming he was fine. Multiple homemade wooden boxes were discovered in the residence and the garage.’
Following her release from the hospital, Roby was arrested on Saturday and is currently detained without bond at Harrison County Detention Center. Her past criminal record and the nature of the charges have authorities tagging her as a flight risk.
As of Sunday, no information was available about Roby’s upcoming court appearance or legal representation.