Whitney Harlow Robeson Obituary, Trussville, AL Shooting Death – In Loving Memory

Whitney Harlow Robeson, 22, a recent Auburn University graduate, has died following a shooting inside a Trussville home on March 7, 2026. After months of investigation, authorities have charged 54-year-old Jeffrey Scott Towers with manslaughter in connection with her death.

According to the Trussville Police Department, officers responded around 9:30 p.m. to a residence on the 7700 block of Deer Trail following reports of a gunshot victim. Robeson was found with a gunshot wound and was transported to a nearby hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 10:49 p.m. The Jefferson County Coroner initially classified the shooting as accidental, and one person was briefly detained for questioning.

Investigators spent the next two months reviewing evidence, conducting interviews, and consulting with the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. On May 11, 2026, authorities secured an arrest warrant for Towers, the father of Robeson’s boyfriend. Towers was taken into custody without incident and later released on a $30,000 bond. Details regarding how the shooting occurred or why the coroner’s initial accidental ruling was later reassessed have not been publicly released.

Robeson, originally from Richmond, Virginia, had recently graduated summa cum laude from Auburn University with a degree in interior design. She was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and had begun working as a trade consultant at Restoration Hardware in Birmingham, where colleagues described her as talented, dedicated, and kind.

Her death has left family, friends, and the Auburn community in mourning. Loved ones continue to honor Robeson’s academic accomplishments, her professional potential, and the life she was just beginning to build.

Authorities say the investigation remains active as the case moves through the judicial system, and further details are expected to be released in the coming weeks.