Gulfport, Mississippi — A Mississippi woman has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after admitting she killed her adult son, concealed his body behind a fake wall inside her home, and spent months convincing relatives he was still alive.
Jeri Roby, 69, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the death of her 42-year-old son, John Gaither, bringing a shocking case that stunned investigators and family members to a close.
Authorities say the elaborate cover-up included fake letters, text messages and fabricated stories that delayed the discovery of the crime.
Family Grew Suspicious After Son Suddenly Disappeared
According to investigators, Gaither had been living with his mother at her Gulfport home when he suddenly stopped communicating with family members in late 2023.
Concerned relatives from several states contacted police after they were unable to reach him.
As questions mounted, Roby allegedly gave multiple explanations for her son’s disappearance. She first claimed he had taken an Uber to Louisiana to buy a vehicle, but investigators found no recent Uber activity linked to his account.
She later sent letters to Gaither’s father and stepmother asking whether they had heard from him because his employer had become concerned.
Authorities said Roby also forged another letter pretending to be her son, claiming he had traveled to the Philippines to meet a woman.
Home Depot Receipt Became a Key Piece of Evidence
When officers initially searched the home, they discovered a Home Depot receipt that caught investigators’ attention.
According to court records, Roby had purchased 15 bags of sand, patch-and-seal tape, straw and a large dumpster bag shortly before Gaither was reported missing.
The unusual purchases raised further suspicion and prompted investigators to dig deeper into the case.
Police also learned that Roby had previously been convicted in an unrelated homicide decades earlier, leading detectives to obtain another search warrant for the property.
Investigators Discover Fake Wall and Hidden Box
During a second search of the home in January 2024, investigators uncovered a false wall built inside the house.
Behind it, they found a large wooden box concealed with the same materials listed on the Home Depot receipt. Inside the box was John Gaither’s body.
An autopsy later determined that Gaither died from a single gunshot wound to the head. Authorities said the discovery ended months of uncertainty surrounding his disappearance and confirmed investigators’ suspicions.
Woman Admitted to Elaborate Cover-Up
According to prosecutors, Roby confessed after being taken into custody.
Assistant District Attorney Matthew D. Burrell said she admitted to sending text messages while pretending to be her son, convincing her boyfriend to impersonate Gaither during phone calls with relatives, and even taking Gaither’s cellphone to Florida so calls would appear to originate from another state.
During her plea hearing, Roby told the court the shooting happened on the “spur of the moment.” She claimed she believed she had put her son “out of his misery” because he struggled with depression.
Authorities did not indicate that the explanation affected the outcome of the case.
Following her guilty plea, the court sentenced Jeri Roby to life in prison without the possibility of parole, closing one of Mississippi’s most disturbing homicide investigations in recent years.
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