The Case of Jennifer Lynn Fulford

Jennifer Lynn Fulford, 56, was a personal assistant, caregiver and house manager who worked for a Winter Park family. On September 27, 2017, she disappeared while working at her employer's home after failing to collect the family's child from school. Her vehicle was later found abandoned, and her body was discovered three days later in a wooded area of Orange County. Investigators established that Scott Edward Nelson had forced his way into the home, abducted Jennifer and later killed her. Nelson was convicted of first-degree murder in June 2019 and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

Jennifer Lynn Fulford lived in Altamonte Springs, Florida, with her husband, Robert. She was 56 years old and had two children and grandchildren. Jennifer had worked for approximately six years as a personal assistant, caregiver and house manager for the family of Reid Berman in Winter Park. Her responsibilities included caring for the family's children and helping manage the household. She was considered dependable and was known for her caring nature. Jennifer was particularly close to her family and was looking forward to travelling to Dallas shortly after her disappearance to meet a new grandchild. On September 27, 2017, Jennifer was working at the Berman family's home on East Webster Avenue in Winter Park. Her disappearance that day was completely out of character.

At approximately 11:30 a.m. on September 27, a FedEx delivery was made to the Berman residence. Evidence later presented at trial established that the front door opened around the time of the delivery. Jennifer subsequently made a distressed telephone call to a woman who was scheduled to install artwork at the residence. She said she had received a call from the school and needed to leave to collect one of the children. Investigators later determined that the school had not called her. That was the last known communication from Jennifer. She was forced from the house and taken away in her own 2015 Hyundai SUV. Jennifer's purse was left behind inside the residence, while her wallet, mobile phone and tablet were taken. Her employer became concerned when Jennifer failed to collect his child from school that afternoon. Jennifer was reported missing at approximately 6:30 p.m. Her vehicle was located the following day in a Publix car park. On September 30, authorities discovered Jennifer's body in a wooded vacant area off Apopka-Vineland Road in Orange County. Her wrists and ankles were bound. A medical examination determined that she had suffered multiple stab wounds and had been suffocated. The injuries were sufficient to establish that she had been deliberately murdered.

Winter Park police immediately treated Jennifer's disappearance as suspicious. Investigators examined surveillance footage, financial transactions and evidence recovered from her abandoned vehicle. Surveillance footage showed Scott Edward Nelson using Jennifer's bank card to withdraw $300 from an ATM. A second attempted withdrawal was made in Jacksonville. Nelson was subsequently arrested at a Jacksonville motel on October 1, 2017. Investigators recovered forensic evidence from Jennifer's vehicle, including blood-stained items. DNA evidence connected both Jennifer and Nelson to evidence recovered during the investigation. A knife recovered during the investigation also contained evidence connecting it to Jennifer. Nelson was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping, burglary, carjacking and robbery. During the investigation, Nelson gave a recorded confession to police in which he admitted abducting and killing Jennifer. He later testified at his own trial and acknowledged that he was responsible for her death. The prosecution argued that Nelson had targeted the home for a robbery and killed Jennifer because she could identify him.

Scott Edward Nelson was tried in Orange County Circuit Court in June 2019. On June 28, 2019, a jury found Nelson guilty of first-degree murder, kidnapping, carjacking, robbery and tampering with a witness. The prosecution sought the death penalty. During the penalty phase, Jennifer's family provided victim-impact testimony about the loss of a wife, mother and grandmother. The jury ultimately recommended life imprisonment rather than death. On July 11, 2019, Nelson was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole for Jennifer's murder, with additional life sentences imposed for the other offences. Nelson remains imprisoned in Florida.

Jennifer's case became notable because she was abducted from a home where she was working, while her disappearance was initially discovered only because her failure to collect a child from school was so unusual. Investigators quickly established that she had been taken against her will, and surveillance, financial and forensic evidence ultimately connected Scott Nelson to her murder.