Naomi Jones' accused murderer will face death penalty

Kevin Robinson | Pensacola News Journal

Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: State Attorney seeks death penalty against Robert Howard State Attorney Bill Eddins announces his office will seek death penalty against Robert Howard, the man accused of kidnapping and killing Naomi Jones.

The state will seek the death penalty against the accused killer of 12-year-old Naomi Jones.

In a press conference Tuesday afternoon, State Attorney Bill Eddins announced a grand jury returned an indictment against Robert Letroy Howard, and the state had officially filed first-degree murder charges.

Howard has pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to court records, but a search warrant affidavit posted in the Clerk of Courts website indicated Howard told investigators he killed Naomi after becoming "extremely angry" and attempted to dispose of her remains in Eight Mile Creek.

Eddins said the nature of the crime and aggravating circumstances of Howard's past criminal history — two prior convictions for sexual offenses against juvenile females — contributed to the state's decision to seek the death penalty.

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"In addition, in this case there was a kidnapping charge," Eddins said. "We don't commonly see 12-year-olds kidnapped and killed, and that was a factor in the decision."

Naomi went missing from the vicinity of her Johnson Avenue apartment complex May 31 and was found deceased in a creek bed off Ashland Avenue and Detroit Boulevard June 5.

Howard, a resident of Brewton, Alabama, had a girlfriend who lived in the same Johnson Avenue apartment complex as Naomi. An arrest report indicates Howard told investigators he frequently spent days at a time living in his girlfriend's home.

Howard told investigators Naomi was in the apartment the day she went missing, according to the affidavit. For an undisclosed reason, Howard "became extremely angry and committed a violent act against Naomi Jones, causing her death," the document said.

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A preliminary autopsy report indicated Naomi died of asphyxiation.

According to the affidavit, Howard then placed Naomi in the backseat of his Nissan Altima and traveled to multiple areas, including Brewton, before returning to the area of Ashland Avenue and Detroit Boulevard, about four miles from the apartment complex.

There Howard threw Naomi over the railing of a bridge into the creek below, the affidavit said.

Surveillance cameras from nearby businesses captured Howard's vehicle traveling through the area. Phone records indicate that early the morning of June 1, Howard's phone was in the area where Naomi's body was recovered.

Howard is charged with premeditated/felony murder, meaning the state must prove either that Howard formed a conscious intent to kill Naomi prior to her death or that he killed her while committing or attempting a felony.

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A kidnapping charge the state initially filed against Howard has been folded into the felony murder charge.

Eddins said it will take time for prosecution and defense attorneys to prepare for trial.

Crowd at Naomi Jones' vigil sings 'Amazing Grace' The crowd at a remembrance event for Naomi Jones sings "Amazing Grace" on Thursday, June 8, 2017, at Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola.

There is a large volume of evidence from local, state and federal agencies that investigated Naomi's disappearance. In addition, Howard's defense team has the right to review all of the state's evidence, collect its own evidence and bring in experts to research and present mitigating factors as to why a jury should not implement the death penalty.

Eddins estimated that, all told, it would take 18-24 months for the case to go to trial.

Before this case, Howard served 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting two juvenile females. According to the affidavit, the victims were ages 14 and 16. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Community Information Center states the victims were 19 years old, however Eddins confirmed Tuesday the girls were juveniles.

The details of that case have not been released, but Eddins indicated the offenses did involve use of force and that had been a factor in the state pursuing capital punishment.

Howard's next scheduled court date is an arraignment June 30. He is currently being held in Escambia County Jail without bond.