Alabama Man Indicted in Fatal Shooting of Son's Girlfriend
A father faces a manslaughter charge after allegedly firing an antique gun he was demonstrating to his son and his son's partner.
An Alabama man has been indicted on a reckless manslaughter charge in connection with the fatal shooting of his son's girlfriend, 22-year-old Whitney Robeson. Jeffrey Scott Towers, 54, was arrested on May 11 and later indicted on August 28 by a Jefferson County grand jury.
Towers was reportedly showing Robeson and his son a collection of antique firearms in their Trussville home when he allegedly demonstrated a .22-caliber revolver. According to a civil lawsuit filed by Robeson's family, Towers pulled the trigger, and the firearm discharged, striking Robeson in the upper left side of her chest. Despite emergency medical intervention at the scene, she was transported to UAB-St. Vincent’s East and pronounced dead later that evening.
Robeson's family's lawsuit states that toxicology reports confirmed neither Robeson nor Towers had any alcohol or drugs in their systems at the time of the incident. The lawsuit alleges that the firearm was loaded and that the shot was inadvertently discharged as Towers displayed the weapon.
John Amari, one of Towers' attorneys, stated that his client is not guilty of the charge. "The way we see it is that simple: he's not guilty of this charge," Amari told Alabama's 42. However, Andrew Moak, the attorney representing Robeson's family, countered that the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office determined Towers acted with criminal recklessness.
"Given that determination, efforts to portray Mr. Towers as 'innocent' are not supported by the evidence in this case," Moak said. "We remain committed to allowing the evidence, facts, and legal process to speak for themselves. Our focus remains where it should be: Seeking justice for Whitney Harlow Robeson and accountability for the actions that led to her death."
Robeson graduated from Auburn University in May 2025 with summa cum laude honors and was a member of the Delta Sigma sorority chapter. The fraternity posted on Instagram that "She brought so much joy and light to our chapter and to everyone who had the privilege of knowing her."
Towers was released on a $30,000 bond following his arrest. The Jefferson County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the case.