Jeffrey Crum trial: Verdict reached for Jennifer Odom’s accused killer

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. - A jury reached a verdict in the Jeffrey Crum murder trial after several days of testimony from more than two dozen prosecution witnesses.

It took jurors more than five hours to find Crum guilty on all three counts, including murder, kidnapping and sexual battery. 

The courtroom was silent as the verdict was read in court Thursday afternoon. Crum was immediately handcuffed and appeared emotionless after the verdict. Jennifer Odom's mother was in the front row crying and hugging family and friends.  

Jeffrey Crum murder trial

What we know:

Prosecutors presented more than two dozen witnesses across two days before resting their case. The defense rested on Wednesday without calling any witnesses to the stand. 

Jeffrey Crum Jr. testified for the state on Wednesday afternoon. He said his father confessed to the crimes decades ago during a night of drinking, telling him that one day his son would find out he was a monster. Crum Jr. also identified a clarinet and case shown in court, testifying his father gave him a similar instrument as a child that later disappeared. 

An acquaintance who lived on the same property as Crum years ago also testified Wednesday that Crum confessed to killing Odom. 

"The defendant has made similar statements over the years to different people, and some of these people don't even know each other, at different times, in different settings. One consistent statement, the one consistent thing he's said, is that he's responsible for the crimes committed against Jennifer Odom," State Prosecutor Rich Buxman said during closing statements Thursday.

Unanswered questions in murder case

The defense focused part of its closing statement on a lack of physical evidence in the case and the credibility of several witnesses, who are convicted felons.

"There's no witness to say that they ever saw him in the area," defense attorney Jenna Finkelstein said during closing statements. "they saw his truck in the area. No physical evidence, as we discussed."

During cross-examination, Crum Jr. acknowledged his father never provided specific details during their conversations while drinking. The defense highlighted that Crum Jr. never contacted law enforcement about his father's statements. 

"No time in between the time that you say that your father made these admissions to you did you ever contact law enforcement?" the defense asked. "No ma'am," Crum Jr. answered. 

Crum's attorney also argued that his involvement in the 1992 kidnapping and sexual battery of a teenage girl doesn't automatically implicate him in Jennifer's case.

"You cannot use proof that a man committed one crime to just assume as proof that he committed another one," Finkelstein said.

Timeline of Jennifer Odom's 1993 disappearance

The backstory:

In February 1993, 12-year-old Jennifer Odom vanished after stepping off a school bus in Pasco County. A friend watched her walk toward a blue truck near her regular bus stop. 

Her body was later found in a wooded area in Hernando County. About two years later, investigators recovered her missing backpack and clarinet case in a different rural area. 

DNA evidence links past crimes

Big picture view:

Advanced DNA technology eventually linked Crum to the 1992 kidnapping and sexual assault of a 17-year-old girl at a Pasco County bus stop. He was convicted in that case and received two life sentences in 2019. 

In 2023, prosecutors charged Crum with kidnapping, sexual battery and murder in connection with Odom's death. 

Sentencing phase

What's next:

Crum is facing life in prison or the death penalty. The sentencing phase is set to begin on Monday at 8:30 a.m.

The Source: The information in this story was gathered from court proceedings, testimony presented during the trial and previous FOX 13 News reports. 

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