AR- Roberts: DNA sample given under false name to protect task force

8-6-2009 Arkansas:

Faulkner County Justice of the Peace Jerry Roberts said he provided a DNA sample under a fictitious name for the 1990 abduction, rape and murder of Pamela Faye Felkins. Roberts provided the sample to rule out his brother Ed, who operated a business in the proximity of Felkins’ place of employment, Roberts said Tuesday afternoon.

According to Roberts, who was the chairman of the task force investigating the Felkins murder, Bobby Brown, then an investigator with the Faulkner County Sheriff’s Department, wanted a DNA sample to rule out Ed Roberts’ involvement in the Felkins murder after Jerry Roberts and Bobby Brown “had words.”

Jerry Roberts said Brown was in charge of the evidence room and had the only key. Roberts maintains Brown told him that evidence was not being forwarded to the crime lab because the evidence room was a mess.

“It is obvious by not taking the evidence to the lab, he was withholding evidence,” Roberts said.

When Jerry Roberts continued to ask why the evidence seized during the investigation had not been taken to the state crime lab, “He became argumentative and threatened me,” Jerry Roberts said.

Jerry Roberts said requesting a DNA sample from his brother would have caused problems within the task force because many of the task force members knew his brother. Jerry Roberts said he and Brown then decided on a plan where Jerry Roberts would submit his DNA under a fictitious name. Jerry Roberts said he used a cigarette to collect his DNA and then placed the DNA in an envelope, which he licked. He asked then-Sheriff Marty Montgomery’s approval of the plan and, according to Jerry Roberts, Montgomery “agreed it would be a good idea.”

Montgomery could not be reached for comment by press time.

Jerry Roberts said he left fingerprints on the envelop as well as the saliva so it could be used to identify his DNA if the evidence was tampered with later. He said the sample was requested to “discredit me and my family.”

“This would eliminate his DNA easily. If it was brought up in front of the task force, it would have broken up the task force,” Jerry Roberts said, noting that the DNA could be checked to see if a sibling or parent of the provider matched DNA material found at the crime scene.

“My brother was ill, and I didn’t want to break up the task force,” Jerry Roberts said.

Much later, Ed Roberts submitted a DNA sample and was officially ruled out as a person of interest.

Jerry Roberts’ scenario is one that Brown said didn’t happen.

“He did that all on his own,” Brown said Monday afternoon.

Brown admitted that Ed Roberts’ DNA was sought because he ran a business near Felkins’ workplace.

“The alleged person had to have walked in front of his business, so he had to be eliminated,” Brown said.

Brown said he didn’t learn about Jerry Roberts submitting a DNA sample until “after the fact.”

Brown acknowledged that Roberts has said Brown was “covering up” the murder.

“I never hid anything,” he said, noting that as the chairman of the task force, Jerry Roberts was in charge of getting evidence to the crime lab.

Brown said he never knew Felkins because when the murder occurred, he was working for the Pine Bluff Police Department.

“I had no knowledge of the case until I joined the task force. I was just one of many on the task force,” he said. “When the task force was formed, I was not involved. I was pulled more into it for support.”

Brown said since Jerry Roberts was in charge, he should have known what was submitted to the crime lab. Now, Brown said he has no authority over the evidence in question.

“I have been out of that picture for a while,” he said, noting that he has been in jail administration since 2005.

Sheriff Karl Byrd, who according to Jerry Roberts, has also not submitted evidence to the crime lab, said that Roberts “had plenty of opportunities to submit these things himself.”

Byrd said the task force and many of the things that Jerry Roberts has talked about “occurred before I was involved.”

Byrd has employed a part-time officer to work on the case in addition to investigators and the task force.

“We have not forgotten. We are working on this case every opportunity we get,” Byrd said.

Byrd said there was no need for Jerry Roberts to submit the DNA sample under a fictitious name.

“His brother was available,” Byrd said. “He cooperated fully. There was no reason for Jerry Roberts to do what he did. His brother was never a serious suspect, but because of his proximity he needed to be eliminated.”

Although Jerry Roberts said Byrd has evidence that still needs to be sent to the state crime lab, Byrd said he can’t second guess his investigative team.

“It is important to protect the integrity of the case and the integrity of the family,” Byrd said. “We are working this case actively. The things that need to be done are being done.”

Byrd said he cannot get into the details of the case as it is an open investigation. The release of details is another debate between Byrd and Jerry Roberts.

Byrd said information is used to weed out suspects. Releasing information to the general public “makes it a lot harder to work,” according to Byrd.

“I have investigators on it. They will determine what needs to be done by the sheriff,” Byrd said. ..Source.. by Holly Latimer