BY JANE PRENDERGAST
The Cincinnati Enquirer
J. Gabbard
Jennifer Harber
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FORT THOMAS -- Murder suspect Jeffrey Lee Gabbard was his 15-year-old niece's constant companion. He walked her to Highlands High School, met her for lunch, walked her home. Everyone saw them together.
But the girl knew too much, police say, and she talked.
She was there, they say, when Mr. Gabbard, 29, allegedly put a gun to the head of her friend Jennifer Harber and fired. She was also the one, investigators think, who called Jennifer on Tuesday night and asked her whether she would drive her and her uncle from Fort Thomas to Covington.
That was at 7:30 p.m. The 17-year-old Highlands junior would be dead 30 minutes later, even before her worried parents reported her missing.
Jennifer "knew she was coming over here," Covington Detective Ray Haley said. "She just didn't know what was going to happen when she got here."
The 15-year-old directed police to a Latonia park near 30th Street and Decoursey Avenue, where they found Jennifer's body. Investigators said the 15-year-old told them her uncle shot Jennifer because she would not give up her car.
Mr. Gabbard is charged with murder. Mr. Buring said Friday morning that he had not decided whether to seek the death penalty.
The girl faces charges of drug possession and receiving stolen property, but nothing in connection with the killing of her friend. Commonwealth Attorney Don Buring said the decision was made because the girl is cooperating with them.
"Gabbard dominated and controlled her life to a certain extent," said Jack Denham, an investigator for Mr. Buring. "And he said she was possessive of him."
The girl is now "very upset, very confused," Detective Haley said, "and, at the same time, worried about her uncle."
He said Mr. Gabbard definitely planned the car theft -- he was a wanted fugitive in Ohio for a parole violation and was probably looking for a way to get out of town. The detective said he isn't sure whether the killing was planned.
Mr. Gabbard had been out of prison less than two months, released Aug. 14 after serving four years for aggravated drug trafficking. Police say he violated his parole almost immediately and had been wanted on an arrest warrant since Sept. 11. He had previously been in prison in Ohio for burglary.
Mr. Gabbard was arrested Thursday afternoon in Erlanger after a two-day search in Northern Kentucky and Clermont County. Authorities had help from his family. Police say Mr. Gabbard told them he ended up at an Erlanger bowling alley because he knew the area from living there before.
Mr. Gabbard had been on the run since shortly before 1 a.m. Wednesday, when he wrecked Jennifer's car in Woodlawn, Ky., while police were chasing him. Police say he left his injured niece in the car and fled.
Authorities think two days of running from them wore him down to the point that he wanted to be caught. They say he told them he spent the time just hitchhiking and walking for hours after a sister in Clermont County turned him away.
Many murder cases have more explainable causes such as domestic violence or drugs, said Capt. Steve Wills. Not this one.
"You just don't know what goes on in people's minds," Capt. Wills said.
And many murder suspects are profoundly remorseful. None of those who interviewed Mr. Gabbard described him that way.
Jennifer, a soccer player and chorus member, will be buried Monday at Evergreen Cemetery in Southgate.
