In the winter of 2018, the life of a Nashville man, known affectionately as 'Lil Jr.,' was tragically cut short. Robert Harper Jr., a 50-year-old man, was found inside his Chevrolet pickup truck in the parking lot of the Ravin Hotel on Brick Church Pike on the afternoon of February 6, 2018. He had been fatally shot, and the initial investigation pointed towards robbery as the likely motive.
Robert, born on February 15, 1967, was remembered by his loved ones as a kind and gentle person
who cherished spending time with his family and friends. He had a passion for dressing well and enjoyed playing basketball and working out. His sudden death left a void in the lives of his children, mother, fiancée, siblings, and a host of other relatives and friends who recalled his infectious laugh and constant smile.
The investigation into his death was a meticulous process led by the North Precinct. After months of dedicated work, detectives identified a suspect. A grand jury returned a first-degree murder indictment against Robert Lamont Goodner, then 24 years old, for the shooting death of Harper. Authorities sought the public's help in locating him, and the efforts of the Gang Unit detectives ultimately led to his arrest at a Days Inn on Brick Church Pike. The arrest brought a measure of progress in the quest for justice for Robert Harper Jr. and his grieving family.
