African American True Crime: Lyntell Washington, Pregnant Teacher Killed by Assistant Principal Robert Marks
Originally published: June 20, 2016
Original publication: Examiner.com – Birmingham Crime Examiner | Section: Crime & Courts
Byline: Traciy Curry-Reyes
Lyntell Washington, a missing pregnant teacher from Louisiana who was later found dead, was killed by her married lover, Robert Marks, 39, an assistant principal at a middle school, WGRZ reports. The 40-year-old Baton Rouge mother was shot and dumped in a sugar cane field, investigators say.
Baton Rouge authorities were alerted that something was wrong after Lyntell Washington's three-year-old daughter was found walking around a parking lot aimlessly. When detectives arrived at the 11832 Newcastle Avenue location, the toddler, who was not harmed, told them that her mother was in the lake and that "Mr. Robbie" had hurt her.Mr. Robbie turned out to be Robert Marks, AKA Robert Javontie Marks, an assistant principal at the Brookstown Magnet Honors Academy middle school. Lyntell Washington's daughter last saw her with Robert Marks and may have witnessed the murder, according to CBS News.
"The child was with her mother and Marks when she heard a 'bang' and after the bang her mom was 'shaking.' She also stated that her mom's in the lake and that it was dark outside when her mom got hurt."
Police searched the swamps, dense forests, and lake areas to find the missing teacher but were unsuccessful. Her body was found in a ditch by farm workers at the Iberville Parish sugar cane field, near Rosedale and Grosse Tete.
The Baton Rouge mother's badly decomposed body was transported to the coroner's office, where they made the determination that she died of a gunshot wound to the head. Dental records confirmed her identity, according to The New Orleans Advocate.
"The body was discovered around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday by sugarcane workers spraying pesticide near a ditch neighboring a sprawling sugarcane field off La. 76 in Iberville Parish," police said.
At the time of her death, Lyntell Washington was working as a teacher and Science coach at Brookstown Magnet Honors Academy, where she was later awarded Teacher of the Year. Police say that Lyntell Washington was seven months pregnant with Robert Marks' child. It is believed that Marks shot her to death after she threatened to tell his wife about the extramarital affair.
 |
| Caption: Lyntell Washington's body was found in a ditch in Louisiana. |