Haunting Auburn Grad Shooting - Why Her Family Thinks Her Boyfriend's Dad Isn't 'Innocent'

An Auburn University graduate has tragically died after her boyfriend’s father allegedly shot her! What’s more? He’s insisting he’s innocent, but the family begs to differ!

According to the Trussville Police Department, officers responded to a report of a person suffering from a gunshot wound at the Alabama home of Jeffrey Scott Towers at around 9:30 p.m. on March 7. When they arrived at the scene, they found 22-year-old Whitney Harlow Robeson had been shot. She was transported to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

There are no details about what happened in the moments leading up to her death. But after an extensive two-month investigation, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Towers on Monday. The boyfriend’s dad has been charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of Whitney. Police said they took Towers into “custody without incident,” and he is being held at Jefferson County Jail until he makes bond, which is set to $30,000.

Her death has since been ruled as a homicide by the Jefferson County Coroner and Medical Examiner’s Office on Friday, saying she died from an “injury to left lung, heart, and aorta, due to gunshot wound of chest.” This comes after the corner’s office previously said the shooting was accidental. However, Chief Deputy Coroner Bill Yates clarified to People that same day they actually never certified the shooting as accidental.

Following the arrest, Towers’ attorneys, Amari and Dain Stewart, said in a statement to People that their client is innocent:

“What happened to Ms. Robeson was a tragic event. While we understand that the justice system must play out … we know that the facts will show that Mr. Towers has no criminal history, has been a productive and upstanding citizen for his entire life and is not guilty of these charges.”

However, Whitney’s family completely disagrees! Their lawyer, Andrew J. Moak, fired back at the statement to TMZ on Friday, saying Towers “acted with criminal recklessness” and needs to be held accountable:

“The Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office determined that Mr. Towers acted with criminal recklessness. Given that determination, efforts to portray Mr. Towers as ‘innocent’ are not supported by the evidence in this case.”

Moak went on to say the family is “deeply saddened by the circumstances surrounding this case,” adding:

“At its core, this matter involves the tragic and unnecessary death of a 22-year-old young woman whose life was cut short far too soon. Whitney was a daughter, loved one, and member of her community, and that should never be lost in the discussion surrounding this case. We remain committed to allowing the evidence, facts, and legal process to speak for themselves. Our focus remains where it should be: seeking justice for Whitney Harlow Robeson and accountability for the actions that led to her death.”

Hopefully, the family does get justice. What are your thoughts on the case, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments (below).

To learn more about the impact of gun violence, visit https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/gun-violence.

[Image via Whitney Harlow Robeson/Instagram, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office]