Kevin Jeffries, 29, broke into the Lynn Haven home of Wallace Reid Scott in April 2013 and plotted to rob and murder the 90-year-old Navy vet beforehand. Jurors found Jeffries guilty of premeditated first-degree murder, armed burglary and armed robbery Thursday, a verdict that could land him on death row.
Rodney Scott, the son of Wallace Scott, said from what he saw of the evidence presented to jurors, their verdict was “more than just.”
“The defense presented its case like (Jeffries) didn’t have much to do with the torture,” Rodney Scott said.
The pair of blood-splotched blue jeans investigators found in the trunk of Jeffries’ girlfriend’s car told Rodney Scott that he played a more active role in the brutal beating and torture that led to his father’s death.
“He was more heavily involved than they let on,” he added.
Jeffries and his cousin, 28-year-old David Challender, left from
The three stopped at the Lynn Haven Wal-Mart to buy latex gloves while waiting for nightfall. However, what they didn’t buy may be just as telling, according to prosecutor Larry Basford.
“No need for masks,” Basford said. “He wasn’t coming out of there alive.”
She told jurors the group had heard of Scott’s wealth from Sherri Mercer, Challender’s mother, whom Scott employed as caretaker at one point.
Mercer had endeared herself to Scott, and she was a beneficiary in his will. Scott had reported fraudulent charges on his credit card against Mercer to BCSO investigators in March but didn’t press charges.
He had an appointment with an attorney to remove Mercer from his will April 8.
Jeffries and
“I knew they were going to steal money,”
But after about 20 minutes of dropping them off blocks away from Scott’s home, Challender called
Medical examiners testified cuts on Scott’s genitalia were consistent with the theory he was tortured for his banking information.
“But he was a salty, old man,” Basford said. “And he never gave it to them.”
Hours later, Scott was dead.
According to Rodney Scott, his father actually did get the page detailing Mercer’s inheritance to his attorney in time with “void” printed across the page with his signature below, he said. The paperwork was finalized about a week after his death.
Challender’s trial for his role in Scott’s death is set for September.
The same jury that found Jeffries guilty of murder Thursday will consider levying the death penalty or life in prison Friday.
Jurors spent a little more than an hour Thursday deliberating the evidence against Kevin Jeffries, 29, before finding him guilty of premeditated first-degree murder, armed burglary and armed robbery.
Jeffries broke into the Lynn Haven home of Wallace Reid Scott in April of 2013 and plotted to rob, torture and murder the veteran for his banking information beforehand, jurors found.
Sentencing for Jeffries will be Friday, when he faces at least a life sentence or a possible death penalty.
Check back later today for more details.