Man Arrested for 30-Year-Old Cold Case Murder of 12-Year-Old Girl—DNA Match Crucial
Authorities have charged a 61-year-old man with the murder of a 12-year-old girl who went missing 30 years ago in Florida. Jeffrey Norman Crum was identified as the alleged perpetrator in the abduction and killing of Jennifer Odom after a DNA match from another case, according to Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis.
Crum is already serving two life sentences for sexual battery and attempted murder. On Monday, a grand jury indicted him on first-degree murder, kidnapping, and sexual battery charges related to Jennifer Odom’s case. The arrest comes as a major breakthrough in a long-standing cold case that has haunted the community for decades.
During a press conference, Sheriff Nienhuis described Crum as a violent individual who took pleasure in hurting people, especially women. He emphasized that evidence from Crum’s history indicates a pattern of violence against women, making him a prime suspect in Jennifer’s death.
Jennifer Odom disappeared on February 19, 1993, in Pasco County. The community, along with law enforcement and volunteers, tirelessly searched a vast area of 60 square miles in hopes of finding her. However, it took six days for her body to be discovered by a couple in an abandoned orange grove. Two years later, Jennifer’s backpack and clarinet case were found by individuals scavenging for scrap metal.
Throughout the years, investigators pursued hundreds of leads and never closed the case. Technological advancements allowed them to retest evidence repeatedly, but it wasn’t until a DNA match from an unrelated Pasco County case that detectives linked Crum to the crime. While there were no matches in the national DNA database, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement discovered a close match among Crum’s family members, eventually leading them to him.
Crum had not been previously identified as a suspect in Jennifer Odom’s case, but once his name emerged, he immediately became the primary focus of the investigation. Numerous individuals were interviewed, and a substantial case was built against him. Authorities also revealed that Crum owned a blue truck and was familiar with the area where Jennifer was abducted and killed.
State Attorney Bill Gladson stated that prosecutors would be seeking the death penalty in this case, recognizing the gravity and impact of such a heinous crime. He empathized with all parents, acknowledging that such nightmares keep them awake at night, worried about the safety of their children.
Sheriff Nienhuis added that he would not be surprised if there were other victims connected to Crum, urging anyone with information to come forward.
The arrest of Jeffrey Norman Crum is a significant development in the quest for justice in Jennifer Odom’s murder after three decades of uncertainty and heartache. While this brings a measure of closure to the Odom family, authorities are determined to ensure that all necessary steps are taken to hold Crum accountable for his heinous actions.
