Who Is Robert Marks & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

Before he became the focus of a high-profile murder investigation, Dr. Robert Javontie Marks was regarded as an accomplished educator and school administrator in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Marks earned a doctorate in education and had worked in several leadership positions within the East Baton Rouge Parish school system. Colleagues and acquaintances knew him as a polished professional who had built a career in education and administration.

Marks also had a military background and was described by his attorney as a former Marine. By 2016, he was serving as an assistant principal at Brookstown Middle Magnet Academy, where he worked alongside Lyntell Washington. At the time, he was married and publicly appeared to have a stable family and professional life.

• “The Barefoot Witness”: 20/20 Reports on Lyntell Washington Homicide May 22 2026
• Who Was Lyntell Washington & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile

His Secret Relationship With Lyntell Washington

Behind the scenes, Marks was involved in a secret romantic relationship with Washington, who worked at the same school. Friends of Washington later said she believed Marks was separating from his wife and preparing for divorce. According to testimony and interviews featured in later media coverage, Marks allegedly told Washington that he and his wife were living separate lives inside the same home.

The relationship became more complicated when Washington learned she was pregnant with Marks’ child. Prosecutors later argued that Marks feared the consequences of the affair becoming public. Washington reportedly wanted Marks to acknowledge the relationship and support their unborn child, which increased tension between them in the days leading up to her disappearance.

Investigators Began Focusing on Marks Quickly

On June 9, 2016, Washington’s 3-year-old daughter was found wandering barefoot in a Baton Rouge parking lot near her mother’s blood-stained car. The little girl repeatedly referred to “Mr. Robbie” as the person who hurt her mother. Friends identified “Mr. Robbie” as Robert Marks.

Investigators soon questioned Marks, who admitted he had been with Washington the night before she disappeared. He acknowledged the affair but denied involvement in her death. Detectives later discovered inconsistencies in his statements, particularly regarding his whereabouts and timeline.

Evidence Prosecutors Used Against Him

The prosecution built its case using cellphone records, witness testimony, digital evidence, and the child’s forensic interview. Cellphone data showed phones linked to Marks and Washington traveling together to a remote area near Ramah, Louisiana, on the night prosecutors believed the murder occurred.

Authorities also uncovered evidence that Marks had searched online for guns after learning Washington was carrying a girl. Investigators further revealed that Marks had been communicating with another woman, Tramica Jackson, on the night Washington disappeared. Jackson later told police Marks asked her to pick him up near the area where Washington’s daughter had been abandoned.

The Murder Trial

Marks was charged with second-degree murder, first-degree feticide, aggravated kidnapping, second-degree kidnapping, obstruction, and weapons offenses. Prosecutors argued that he killed Washington because he wanted to hide the affair and avoid the fallout from her pregnancy.

During the 2021 trial, jurors heard emotional testimony from witnesses, including Washington’s friends and family members. Prosecutors also played the recorded forensic interview of Washington’s daughter, who described hearing a “bang” and seeing her mother shaking after “Mr. Robbie” hurt her.

Conviction and Sentencing

The defense argued that the case against Marks was circumstantial and stressed that no murder weapon had ever been recovered. Defense attorney Lionel Burns challenged prosecutors over what he described as a lack of direct physical evidence tying Marks to the shooting.

Despite those arguments, the jury deliberated for only about 30 minutes before convicting Marks in December 2021. He was found guilty of second-degree murder and related charges connected to Washington’s death and the death of her unborn child. In February 2022, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Where Is Robert Marks Now?

Robert Marks is currently serving his life sentence in Louisiana state prison. Since his conviction, he has remained incarcerated under the custody of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

The conviction ended a case that drew national attention because of the shocking circumstances surrounding Washington’s death and the role her young daughter played in helping investigators identify the killer. Marks’ fall from respected school administrator to convicted murderer remains one of the most disturbing criminal cases connected to Louisiana’s education system in recent years.

More “The Barefoot Witness”

• “The Barefoot Witness”: 20/20 Reports on Lyntell Washington Homicide May 22 2026
• Who Was Lyntell Washington & What Happened to Her? 2026 Update & Profile
• Who Is Robert Marks & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

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