Shivangi Sinha
In 2016, when Robert Marks was arrested in connection with the murder of Lyntell Washington, he was married to Kala Marks. Investigators later revealed that Robert had been having an affair with Lyntell and had killed her while she was two months pregnant with his child. At the time of his arrest, Kala publicly stood by her husband and maintained that the claims against him were only accusations. However, during the trial, prosecutors presented extensive evidence that ultimately led to Robert’s conviction. In ABC’s ‘20/20: The Barefoot Witness,’ Kala’s perspective on the case and her reaction to the evidence presented in court are also explored alongside the details of the investigation.
Kala Marks Stood by Her Husband’s Side When He Was Charged With Murder
Robert and Kala Marks were living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, during the 2010s. The couple had a modest one-story home that appeared similar to a trailer, and from the outside, their life seemed stable and happy. Robert was working as an assistant principal at Brookstown Middle School, but Kala reportedly had no idea about what else was happening in his life. In 2016, Lyntell Washington, a teacher who worked at the same school as Robert, became pregnant with his child. Robert never told Kala about the affair or the pregnancy, and in early June 2016, he and Kala even went on a cruise vacation together. At the same time, Robert had allegedly been telling Lyntell that he and Kala were separated and living on different floors of the house, something that later turned out to be untrue.
When Lyntell saw the picture that Robert had posted with Kala, she reportedly confronted him and told him that she was going to reveal everything to his wife. In the days that followed, Kala was shocked to see Robert arrested in connection with Lyntell’s murder. After his arrest in June 2016, Kala publicly came out in support of her husband and stated that she did not believe Robert was responsible. In an interview given around that time, she also revealed that she had no knowledge of the affair Robert had been having. When questioned about her husband’s behavior on the night of June 8, 2016, Kala said that Robert had told her he was going out to watch a basketball game with friends.
Kala said that she had gone to bed early that night and that Robert did not call or disturb her through the evening. According to Kala, that was normal for them because he usually avoided waking her when she was asleep. She recalled that around 12:15 am, she called him because she was worried about him being out late on his motorcycle, and he reportedly told her that he was entering the neighborhood and would be home soon. Kala also stated that she did not pay close attention to what he was wearing that night and could not accurately remember the exact timeline of events. While speaking publicly after his arrest, she defended her husband and said, “He’s a loving husband… I just don’t see how he could do it. I’m really just at a loss for words.”
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Kala Marks Has Distanced Herself From Public Spotlight
When Robert Marks was granted bond, Kala Marks remained by his side, and he returned home to live with her. However, it appears that things did not stay the same between them for very long. Shortly after December 2021, when Robert was convicted of the murder of Lyntell Washington, Kala filed for divorce. She later stated that she was deeply shocked to learn about the multiple affairs Robert had allegedly been involved in, especially after another relationship with Tramica Jackson also came to light during the investigation. Since then, Kala has largely stayed out of the public eye and has avoided giving interviews or making public appearances about the case.
