A 66-year-old woman in southern Mississippi has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder after her 42-year-old son was discovered dead in a wooden box behind a false wall in her home. Jerri Lynn Roby, also known as Isreal, had a prior murder conviction in Florida around 1995.
The investigation began in late December 2023 when out-of-state relatives reported John Allen Gaither, the woman’s son, missing. Officers arrived at Isreal’s home on December 22, and during subsequent follow-ups, discrepancies in Isreal’s statements emerged, leading to suspicions.
Isreal, uncooperative and changing her statements multiple times, was found to have a prior murder conviction in Florida. With a search warrant obtained, detectives and crime scene technicians entered the residence on January 18. Isreal ingested pills when authorities entered, leading to her hospitalization.
During the search, police discovered a wooden box behind a false wall containing Gaither’s body. Isreal had attempted to conceal her crime by writing fake notes posing as her son. She was arrested on Saturday after being released from the hospital and is currently held in the Harrison County Detention Center without bond.
