Is He Dead? Page 16

  Somewhere around 3:00 o’clock p.m., Robert went back to the store and called his house again, but there was still no answer. He called Bridget’s house and Bridget picked up the phone.

  “Hello,” she said as she placed the phone to her ear.

  Robert was quiet at first and Bridget again said, “Hello, who is this?”

  Robert replied, “It’s me.”

  “Robert, where are you? Are you okay? Where are you?” said Bridget.

  Robert told her he didn’t want to say. Bridget’s mother Patricia Langley asked Bridget if that was Robert. Bridget nodded. Patricia took the phone from Bridget.

  “Robert, this is Mrs. Langley, are you okay?”

  Robert responded, “Yes Ma’am, “but …” Robert stopped talking, his throat swelling as he began to cry.

  “Son, where are you? Let me come get you,” Patricia said.

  Robert asked, “Where’s my dad?”

  “Son, your father is dead. He is never going to hurt you again.” Patricia explained.

  Robert was overwhelmed with emotion and began weeping hysterically on the phone. “I’m at the store on Thacker Avenue at the railroad track,” he said. Patricia told him she had some very good friends who worked at the police department and she would call them to help.

  Patricia picked him up and took him home with her. She called the Police Department and two officers were dispatched. Robert was taken into custody and transported to me.

  Forty-Six

  After the shooting, Amanda left the apartment and knocked on a neighbor’s door. He let her in and she called the police department.

  The following is a transcript of the telephone conversation between Amanda and the 911 dispatcher.

  P signifies the police dispatcher and G signifies Amanda.

  P. Police Department

  G. Is this the police?

  P. Police Department

  G. Oh, please get over to Charra Condominiums E-1, there’s been a death, and somebody’s been shot in our apartment. Please hurry!

  P. Somebody’s been shot?

  G. Yes

  P. Okay hold on, Charra Condominiums E-1. Um did this just happen?

  G. Yes, will you hurry?

  P. Ma’am, just settle down, okay, ma’am? Chara Condos Apt E-1?

  G. Yeah!

  P. What is your address?

  G. Apartment A-1. Please contact the damn police!

  P. Ma’am, the ambulance is on the way. What is your address? Is it 1044

  G. What?

  P. What is your phone number, ma’am?

  G. Tarra Condominiums

  P. Okay, ma’am. We have the police on the way

  G. Good. Okay.

  P. Is the subject still there with the gun, ma’am?

  G. Please, just get me an ambulance and everything quick!

  P. Okay, listen.

  G. I’m not there and I ain’t going back there.

  P. Did you come home and discover this? Is the subject still there with the gun?

  G. I don’t know!

  P. Do you know the person?

  G. I ran to my friend’s and I’m just over here.

  P. Ma’am, ma’am

  G. Yes

  P. Do you know the person who is dead?

  G. I don’t know if anybody is dead!

  P. Okay

  G. He was shot two or three times and I ran and I went back in the house

  P. Okay, did he shoot himself?

  G. No! He didn’t shoot himself, somebody shot him

  P. Okay, Ma’am

  G. When the police get here I’ll …

  P. Ma’am, is the subject still on the scene?

  G. What?

  P. Is he still there?

  G. I don’t know, I left

  Static sound on the line …

  P. Ma’am, ma’am. What is your name?

  G. Yes, it’s Amanda Jenkins

  P. What is your phone number?

  G. I’m not there!

  P. Okay, what’s the number where you are?

  G. Listen, this guy has been shot four or five times and this guy has a knife and he is probably going to kill this other guy.

  P. Hello, ma’am. Hello, we have an officer on the scene, ma’am. Hello?

  After the call to the 911 dispatcher, Amanda left her neighbor’s apartment and ran on foot to the Restaurant where her mother worked and told her mother what had happened. She told her she was sure Tom was already at the hospital. Melissa’s boss, Kelly St. Francis, drove the two of them to the hospital where we all met.

  Forty-Seven

  Over the next month or so, in addition to the public defender, my investigative partner and I became Amanda and Robert’s most diligent allies. We were determined to learn the truth about these kids’ pasts and I was pretty sure these kids would be vindicated.

  I was extremely concerned about Melissa Jenkins. Our investigation in Tennessee had opened a can of worms about her, as well. It was evident she had participated in the rape of Anne Jones with Tom Jenkins and that she had been involved for nearly a decade in incestuous acts of sexual battery and child abuse of her own children. We knew Tennessee had a warrant for her and Tom’s arrest, but they were not interested in enforcing it as long as they were in Florida.

  I decided to question Amanda without her mother present. I told her, “Listen Amanda, I’ve been straight with you since this whole thing started. I need to know about any sexual contact that you or your brother Robert may have had with your mom since you’ve been in Florida.”

  Amanda said, “Whatever my Mom did, it was because she was afraid Tom would kill her and us.” She said her mother was as much of a victim as they were. Amanda made it clear to me the issue of her mother was off-limits.

  I interviewed Robert and his statement regarding his mother was a carbon copy of Amanda’s statement. Detective John Singleton and I met with Lieutenant Bartholomew and discussed the issue of Melissa. We went through all the investigative reports and statements and we just couldn’t find any evidence of incest involving Melissa since they arrived in Florida.

  We bounced back and forth on that issue. I just felt like she had a responsibility to protect her children against her husband. She appeared very passive, but as a mom you would think she would have risked her own life to save her kids from constant abuse.

  “You guys are forgetting one thing here,” an uninvolved detective said to us. “These two kids murdered somebody. They took a life. They need to be punished. Do we want to send a message to kids that it’s okay to shoot your parents if they get a little rough? It’s not likely that anyone is going to know exactly what these kids went through that led to this.”

  I looked at him and said, “Get the hell out of here! This has nothing to do with you.”

  The newspapers covered Tom’s funeral and made a point out of the fact the kids didn’t attend. Who in the world would expect the kids to attend that funeral? I didn’t go, either. According to the news coverage, basically the only people who did attend were Melissa and a couple of Tom’s relatives.

  The kids were assigned a guardian ad Litem by the state who watched over their every move. She also spent a lot of time with Melissa.

  The county had become a magnet for local and national news agencies. This murder was top headlines in the local news papers. Every time the kids had to appear in court the news cameras and reporters swarmed on the courthouse.

  Preparing this case required hundreds of man hours from a variety of investigative sources. The public defender’s office, the medical examiner, crime scene technicians, and our team of investigators were working around the clock.

  Shortly after the shooting, Melissa and the kids moved out of the apartment and into a three bedroom home.

  Our investigation was intense. I don’t think we left any stone unturned. The information we brought back from Tennessee clearly indicated why the children didn’t seek assistance from the police or HRS for that matter. We were all shocked at th
e abuse Amanda and Robert had endured.

  It looked to me like Tom got just what he deserved. I would have treated him differently in the ambulance, if I only had had a clue.

  Less than a month after the shooting, Amanda was arrested in Orlando at a Mall. She had attempted to use one of Tom’s credit cards. I guess she was trying to get as much out of him as she could before it was too late.

  We had been holding meetings almost daily with the state attorney to plan how the state should proceed with this case. Everyone knew the life story of both kids by now. The problem we were facing was the Grand Jury. The state has to present all homicides to the Grand Jury. They would make their decision based only on the information presented by the state attorney. There are no defense attorneys at this juncture.

  I was stuck with presenting my case for the prosecution and based on the information I had so far, I was certain there would be a first degree murder indictment. I could only hope that that cooler heads would prevail.

  I received my subpoena and was as prepared as anyone could be. I was very concerned about the incriminating note Amanda had written and, of course, the gun. It looked like it was pre-meditated murder. Had they stolen the gun to use in self-defense and used it during one of Tom’s torturous episodes, there wouldn’t even be a question.

  I testified before the Grand Jury for six hours. The state attorney, Larry Vaughn hit everything. This guy was like a machine. He was ruthless. He was the type of prosecutor the police always wanted on their case. He had a track record of wins and he was on track with this one. However, he had children, too, and I could tell the circumstances in this case were troubling him. I answered every question he asked and presented my evidence to the best of my ability.

  When we walked out of the jury room, Larry walked away from me and didn’t say a word. “Shit,” I thought “this man has just hammered me for six straight hours. He performed one of the best jobs of prosecution I had ever witnessed. It was evident the note would be Melissa’s biggest problem.”

  I walked into Larry’s office and told him, “Good Job!” He looked up at me from his desk and said, “What’s so damn good about it? Those poor kids are going to be indicted for first degree murder!”

  “Damn Larry, I thought that’s what you wanted!” I said.

  I could see he was more upset than I was and he still had to interview at least four or five more people.

  The Grand Jury deliberated for hours and hours, but finally reached a verdict.

  They issued a True Bill for the charge of First Degree Murder. If charged as adults they could receive the death penalty at the very least life in prison.

  You know? I did my job, we all did, but this case, my God, it was emotionally draining. These two kids were sweet and respectful. They were polite and courteous to everyone they came in contact with.

  The public defender and the state attorney’s office began some intense negotiations after the indictment. The kids were on pins and needles. We were all a little nervous. I spoke with Amanda and Robert and they were still convinced that they had done the right thing. Robert said he would do it again and had absolutely no remorse.

  A plea agreement was finally reached between the state attorney and the public defender. The agreement was presented to the judge who accepted it.

  It was finally over. Amanda and Robert were both sentenced to supervised probation with a multitude of stipulations. Each would serve until aged twenty-five.

  Cooler heads did prevail in this case. Thank God.

  But I don’t think it ever really will be over. The stains of agony and pain are indelibly embossed on these two children’s past and future. The investigators on this case walked away with a different perspective on life and I am sure treated their children with just a little more love and compassion than previously.

  “Robert! Robert! Wake up son!” Robert opened his eyes, but refused to look in the direction where the words were coming from. He started breathing heavily and trembling as he lay in his bed. His body was covered with goose bumps. He swallowed hard, then cleared his throat and lifted his head from the pillow. “Tom?” he asked. “Wha …,” Then a deep sigh and “wha …” again. He couldn’t get the words out. He was paralyzed with fear. He finally looked into the corner of the room and saw Tom standing there, bleeding from his chest.

  “Finish it Robert. Kill your mother! Kill your damn mother, Robert!” Tom screamed. Robert gasped for air and jumped out of the bed. He looked back into the corner and Tom was gone. Sweat was dripping from his forehead.

  “It was just a dream. It was just a dream!” His wife told him, hugging him in a protective embrace. “It’s okay, baby,” she said as Robert lay back down to sleep. “That was a long time ago, honey!” she said, as she attempted to comfort Robert.

  Robert experienced these awful nightmares for several years after the shooting, but they subsided with time and he was able to go on with his life. As of today, Robert has become a productive member of society. He moved back to Tennessee, got married and had children of his own.

  As of the date of this book the only two times Robert has ever resorted to violence was when he killed that poor little squirrel in Tennessee with his BB gun and when he unloaded a 38-caliber pistol into his stepfather.

  He said he still regrets killing that squirrel.

  Amanda also got married and moved back to Tennessee where she, too, had children of her own. By the grace of God she was able to overcome her past and move on with her life.

  Melissa made a 180-degree turn in her life. She married a state trooper and remained in Florida where they still live today.

  As for me? Well, I left law enforcement in 1993 and followed a career in marketing and sales. It’s been a long time since this case, but it’s as clear in my mind today as it was then.

  Table of Contents

  IS HE DEAD?

  DEDICATION

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-One

  Thirty-Two

  Thirty-Three

  Thirty-Four

  Thirty-Five

  Thirty-Six

  Thirty-Seven

  Thirty-Eight

  Thirty-Nine

  Forty

  Forty-One

  Forty-Two

  Forty-Three

  Forty-Four

  Forty-Five

  Forty-Six

  Forty-Seven