Jury unanimously recommends death penalty for Jennifer Odom’s convicted killer
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sentencing phase for Jeffrey Crum underway
A decades long cold case is finally in its final chapter. Jeffrey Crum faces the death penalty in the brutal kidnapping and murder of 12-year-old Jennifer Odom back in 1993. FOX 13's Kylie Jones reports.
BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - The jury has unanimously recommended the death penalty for Jeffrey Crum in the decades-old kidnapping, sexual battery and murder of Jennifer Odom.
Jeffrey Crum death penalty recommendation
What we know:
All 12 jurors voted Tuesday to recommend that Crum be sentenced to death for killing the 12-year-old Pasco County girl in 1993. It took the jury two hours and 15 minutes to make that recommendation.
As the jury's sentencing recommendation was read Tuesday afternoon, you could hear faint cries from Jennifer's family and friends, who filled the pews in the courtroom.
State Attorney Bill Gladson spoke Tuesday afternoon, saying this case has haunted the entire community for more than three decades. He says the outcome of this trial is an incredible feat.
"We didn't know when we indicted in 2023 where we would be," Gladson said. "We were confident in the evidence, and we were confident that we had the right person, and we recognized that the case wasn't getting any younger and that a decision had to be made."
The backstory:
Crum was convicted last week of kidnapping, sexually battering and killing Odom. The same jury then returned for the penalty phase of the trial to determine whether he should receive the death penalty or another life sentence.
PREVIOUS: Jurors to decide if Jennifer Odom’s convicted killer gets death penalty
The state argued that Crum's crimes warranted the death penalty, presenting evidence about aggravating factors in the case.
Prosecutors argued that Odom's kidnapping and murder were planned and that Crum took her to an isolated, secluded area. They also emphasized that Odom was a child and posed no threat to Crum.
The jury heard testimony from a woman who was sexually battered by Crum in 1985, when she was 18 years old.
Closing statements
What they're saying:
On Tuesday morning, the state and defense left the jury with closing statements in the sentencing phase of the trial.
"He is responsible for the choices that he made in life. He's responsible for choosing to kidnap Jennifer Odom," Rich Buxman, a prosecutor with the 5th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's, said. "He is responsible for his decision choosing to sexually batter 12-year-old Jennifer Odom, to fulfill his own sexual desires. He is responsible for the decision to bash her skull in and murder her."
The other side:
The defense tried to convince the jury to spare Crum's life and recommend a sentence of life in prison.
The defense argued that there are a number of mitigating factors in this case, including physical and emotional trauma that Crum endured in his childhood, a family history of substance abuse that followed Crum through most of his life, and a history of mental illness, including multiple suicide attempts.
Crum's attorney also told the jury that he would die in prison regardless, because he's already serving two life sentences for the 1992 kidnapping and sexual battery.
"What is the purpose to have the defendant live another 20 years in a single cell on death row, and execute an 85-year-old man who probably won't even know what's happening," defense attorney Daniel Hernandez said.
Jennifer Odom's family speaks
What they're saying:
Jennifer's mother, stepfather and sister fought through tears as they spoke publicly Tuesday afternoon.
Jennifer's mother, Renee Converse, says that for 33 years, she's held her breath, but now she can finally start to breathe again.
"This is, I'm not going to say closure, because I don't like the word closure, but this is justice," Converse said. "There is no closure, because I'll never have my beautiful, smiling girl back in my arms. But it is justice. Actually, it is justice on her 46th birthday, so it is justice because she would've been 46 today."
Jennifer's family says they were happy with the jury's recommendation.
"The rainbow this morning was beautiful," Converse said. "That was a sign. That was a sign from my God and Jennifer, and it was just a beautiful song. Whether it was her birthday or not her birthday, it's justice. It's justice. And it just couldn't have been a better day."
Dig deeper:
Jennifer's family also delivered emotional impact statements during the penalty phase about her life and the decades of pain caused by her death.
"She was a barefoot water skier, an archer, clarinet player, a Girl Scout, the best babysitter ever and a devoted member of our Catholic Church," Jennifer's aunt, Mary Beth Lambert, said. "But most of all, she was my precious niece."
Jennifer's stepfather, Clark Converse, held back tears as he spoke about the impact of her murder on the family.
"People use the words like closure and justice," Converse said. "Closure would be our beloved daughter being returned to us. And justice would be the ability to have our lives be normal again."
Defense mitigation arguments
The other side:
Crum's defense presented mitigating evidence about his childhood, alcohol abuse and mental health.
Crum’s stepsister testified about alleged instability and alcohol abuse by Crum's father. Crum's son, Jeffrey Crum Jr., also testified about his father's history of alcohol abuse and alleged abuse he experienced as a child.
Neuropsychologist Dr. Hyman Eisenstein testified about psychological testing performed on Crum and the effects of his upbringing.
"He had extreme physical and emotional abuse which caused him to suffer from trauma his entire life," Eisenstein testified. "He had a history of dysfunctional upbringing surrounded by alcohol and substance abuse, early on and continuous."
Jennifer Odom murder case
The backstory:
Odom disappeared after getting off her school bus in Pasco County in 1993. Classmates recalled seeing her walk down a private road as a blue truck pulled up alongside her.
Her body was found days later in a wooded area in Hernando County.
The case remained unsolved for decades before detectives linked Crum to Odom's murder in 2023.
During the trial, prosecutors highlighted testimony from Crum's son, who said his father admitted to the crime years ago.
"Remember Jennifer Odom? I did her, too," Crum Jr. testified that his father told him.
Crum was convicted last week after jurors deliberated for a little more than five hours.
Court sentencing phase
What's next:
The jury's unanimous 12-0 vote is a recommendation for the death penalty.
The court will determine Crum's final sentence during a Spencer hearing, which is scheduled for Oct. 21 at 8:30 a.m. During this type of hearing, the defense can present additional arguments and mitigating evidence directly to the judge and ask for leniency before the final sentence is handed down.
While judges can sway from a jury's recommendation, the judge will make the final sentencing decision in Crum's case.
Crum is already serving two life sentences for a separate 1992 attack on a 17-year-old girl in Pasco County.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from court proceedings, jury verdicts, and witness testimony in the trial of Jeffrey Crum, including statements from Mary Beth Lambert, Clark Converse, Dr. Hyman Eisenstein, and Jeffrey Crum Jr.