Arrest Made In Murder Of Jennifer Odom After 30 Years: Police

HERNANDO COUNTY, FL — Hernando County authorities on Thursday announced a man has been charged in connection with the 1993 murder of 12-year-old Jennifer Odom, who disappeared in Pasco County while walking home from school and was later found dead in an abandoned orange grove.

Jeffrey Norman Crum, 61, was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and sexual battery in the case, Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis announced at a news conference.

Crum is currently serving two life sentences for sexual battery and attempted murder following convictions in a similar case in Pasco County, authorities said.

Bill Gladson, Florida state attorney for the 5th Circuit, said his office plans to seek the death penalty for Crum in connection to Odom's murder.

"I have confidence we have the right person and we have the right aggravators in this particular case to treat it as a death penalty case," Gladson said Thursday.

According to authorities, Odom disappeared after getting off the school bus in Pasco County. Classmates later told police they saw a faded blue pickup following the girl as she went home; however, Odom never arrived.

Odom's naked and decomposed body was found six days later in an orange grove in Hernando County following a massive search near Dade City, police said.

While evidence was collected and tested multiple times in the following years, it wasn't until 2015 that another investigation provided detectives with lead.

According to Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, another young girl in Pasco County was brutally attacked and sexually assaulted after getting off the school bus. The attack happened 13 months before Odom's disappearance, he said.

Biological evidence collected in that case was collected, tested and run through national databases, authorities said. Florida state authorities were able to match the DNA with Crum.

"The MOs in both cases were almost identical with the exception of Jennifer, as you know, was abducted and found six days later," Nienhuis said. "Crum quickly became our primary suspect in the Jennifer Odom case."

Crum was scheduled to appear in court at 1 p.m. Thursday.

Authorities said Crum may have had additional victims. Anyone with information should contact the Hernando County Sheriff's Office at 352-754-6830.