Jesse Stewart Corbitt, aged 56, was found dead on September 27, 2021, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. His body was discovered in the backyard of a home in Lauderhill, a neighboring city. The person who reported the body to the authorities described it as already "stiff and cold." Upon arrival, Lauderhill Fire Rescue pronounced Corbitt dead at the scene. He was found lying face down with one shoe on and the other behind a shed, which had a blood smudge on it.
A black and brown revolver was found in his hand, containing five live rounds. However, the two gunshot wounds to his torso were not self-inflicted, nor were they from the revolver found in his hand.
The investigation led to the arrest of Laquentin Jenkins, a 37-year-old man from Fort Lauderdale. Surveillance footage from the Lauderhill home where Corbitt's body was found captured a man, believed to be Jenkins, leaving the crime scene in a car. Further investigation revealed that a white Honda Pilot, matching the description of Jenkins' car, was seen driving down the block around the time of the murder. The Broward Sheriff's Office Burglary Apprehension Team later observed the vehicle in Lauderhill and followed it to a home in Fort Lauderdale. When approached by detectives, a man matching Jenkins' description fled but was eventually apprehended after a chase.
Despite being identified as a suspect early on, Jenkins was not arrested immediately. It wasn't until mid-October that detectives confirmed the bullets that killed Corbitt did not come from the revolver found in his hand. Subsequent searches of the Honda Pilot revealed a letter with Jenkins' name, and cell phone data placed Jenkins in the area at the time of the murder. Jenkins was eventually arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with Corbitt's death.
The case against Jenkins included multiple pieces of evidence, such as surveillance footage, witness statements, and forensic analysis. The investigation highlighted the complexities of piecing together a murder case, especially when initial evidence might suggest a different scenario. Jenkins' arrest and the subsequent legal proceedings aimed to bring justice for Jesse Stewart Corbitt and his family.
