A Mississippi mother has been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of her son and the subsequent concealment of his body. Jerri Roby, 69, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the 2023 killing of her son, 42-year-old John Allen Gaither.
Authorities began investigating Gaither's disappearance in December 2023 when his brother reported him missing. Roby, who lived with Gaither, initially told law enforcement that he had left town to purchase a car. However, his brother and stepmother later contacted police again, stating they had received suspicious calls and texts from Gaither's phone, which they did not believe were from him.
On January 18, 2024, police executed a search warrant at Roby's Gulfport residence. During the search, they discovered a fake wall constructed in the front of the home. Behind this wall, officers found a large box containing Gaither's body. Investigators determined that Gaither died from a gunshot wound to the back of the head.
During court proceedings, Roby stated that she shot her son in a "spur of the moment" act, claiming she was putting him "out of his misery" due to his depression. Investigators uncovered that Roby had a prior murder conviction in Florida in 1995 and had used multiple aliases in the past.
Evidence gathered at the scene included a receipt from a local hardware store detailing purchases made approximately one week before Gaither was reported missing. The items purchased included 15 bags of sand, patch and seal tape, straw, and a dumpster bag. Further investigation revealed Roby had also bought plastic sheeting and soil during an earlier trip.
Further complicating the case, Gaither's stepmother, residing in California, reported receiving a letter purportedly from Gaither stating he had traveled to the Philippines. Assistant District Attorney Matthew D. Burrell confirmed that Roby admitted to forging these letters and sending text messages while impersonating her son. She had also allegedly enlisted her boyfriend to make calls to family members, imitating Gaither's voice.
Roby was taken into custody after being released from a hospital, where she was treated for swallowing pharmaceutical pills upon her removal from the home. District Attorney Crosby Parker stated that Roby's guilty plea and sentence offered a measure of justice and closure for the victim's loved ones and all affected by the crime. Parker commended the investigators for their steadfast commitment in overcoming Roby's attempts to mislead them and bring her to justice.