Naman Shrestha
In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lyntell Washington led a seemingly happy life with her daughter until fate intervened in the summer of 2016. The popular educator’s disappearance and demise sent shockwaves across the entire community, as her toddler was left all alone in a local parking lot. The entire case and the investigation that ensued are covered in a detailed manner in the episode titled ‘The Barefoot Witness’ of ABC’s ’20/20,’ which also features Lyntell’s loved ones and the officials who did their best to solve the homicide as soon as possible.
Lyntell Washington’s Remains Were Found a Few Days After Her Sudden Disappearance
Born on October 28, 1975, in Louisiana, Lyntell Trinese Washington was the beloved daughter of Calvin Washington. Growing up, she shared a close-knit bond with her twin sister Cyntell. After crossing paths with Darren Glasper at a barbecue party, she begins dating him. Not long after, the two became pregnant. However, when she was eight months pregnant, they broke up as Darren’s alleged drug and alcohol addiction got out of hand. The single mother then relocated from New Orleans to Baton Rouge to start a new life with her daughter. There, she was employed as a teacher in Brookstown Middle Magnet Academy.
Described as a loyal, dedicated, and hardworking woman, she was well-respected in the community. In fact, she was also named Teacher of the Year at a previous school, making her popular among school staff and students. Thus, it was strange when she failed to show up for class on the morning of June 9, 2016. More concerns were raised when a passerby, Leslie Parms, found Lyntell’s 3-year-old daughter wandering alone and barefoot in a parking lot, not far away from their one-bedroom apartment.
Nearby, Lyntell’s car was parked, and inside, he noticed blood stains scattered on the front seat. He reported the entire situation to the authorities. A few days of extensive search later, the police got a notification that a bunch of sugar cane workers had found human remains in a drainage ditch at a sugar cane field on June 14, 2016. Since the remains were badly decomposed, they were identified using dental records, and they belonged to 40-year-old Lyntell Washington. The medical examiner conducted an autopsy and concluded that the cause of her death was a gunshot wound to the head.
Lyntell Washington’s Killer Lied About Going Through a Divorce With His Wife
As part of the investigation, the authorities dug deep into Lyntell Washington’s life in order to learn about the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and death. She was reportedly in a secret relationship with her colleague, Robert Marks, Assistant Principal at Brookstown Middle Magnet Academy. It is alleged that the married man with kids had reassured her that he would divorce his wife, Kala, and begin a new life with her. Their affair became complicated when Lyntell got pregnant, allegedly with his child. Not long after, when she saw a happy photo of Robert and Kala on a cruise on social media, she drove down to his house, which turned out to be a trailer. She was shocked because he had allegedly told her that he and his wife lived on separate floors of their two-story home.
After going through her cell phone records, they found out that she had texted Robert, confronting him about his priorities and whether he was committed to her and the unborn child. Moreover, Lyntell’s toddler was heard saying, “Mr. Robbie put the blood in my car. I heard a bang. My mama started shaking. My mama’s asleep by a lake,” in the 911 call that Leslie Parms made. So, Robert was brought in for questioning by the detectives. He admitted to having an affair with Lyntell and meeting her the night before she disappeared for about half an hour, but claimed that he went his separate way after the meeting. For his alibi, he told the police that he went to a local bar, Twin Peaks, to watch a basketball game. However, his alibi couldn’t be corroborated by surveillance footage from the bar and the surrounding area.
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The Killer Had Another Affair, Unbeknownst to Lyntell and His Wife
The authorities then tracked the movements of both Lyntell and Robert through their cell phone movements on the fateful night. It placed both of them together in a secluded area in the north end of the parish, near Southern University. The investigators theorized that Robert killed her there after she threatened to reveal their affair to his wife and later disposed of her remains in the sugar cane field, where her remains were found. Soon, a woman named Tramica Jackson contacted the authorities and revealed that Robert had called her the night of Lyntell’s disappearance, asking for a ride from near the parking lot where Lyntell’s daughter was found.
It is alleged that Tramica was another woman with whom the Assistant Principal was having an affair at the time. During her interview on June 21, 2016, she denied having any involvement in the murder or abandonment of the toddler. Armed with enough evidence against him, Robert was arrested and charged with murder, feticide, and other charges related to the homicide of Lyntell Washington. He posted bail in October 2016 and awaited trial. A few years later, his trial began on December 14, 2021.
The prosecution presented a series of incriminating evidence against him, including Lyntell’s daughter’s interview, the defendant’s inconsistent alibi, and more. The defense argued that there was no DNA evidence, eyewitnesses, or murder weapon that linked Robert to the homicide. However, in the end, on December 17, 2021, the jury deliberated for about 30 minutes and found him guilty of murder and feticide. A couple of months later, in February 2022, Robert was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
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