Veteran faked death in Alabama to avoid child rape and pregnancy charges, police say

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A man suspected of faking his own death off the coast of Alabama’s Orange Beach to avoid child rape charges in Mississippi is being sought by police. Jacob Blair Scott, 42, of Moss Point, MS, is suspected of raping his now ex-wife’s daughter, getting her pregnant, then setting up and elaborate scene on his abandoned dinghy to fool authorities into believing he was dead, according to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Dept. in Mississippi and Orange Beach police in Alabama.

While Scott has not been convicted of any crimes, DNA evidence has confirmed that he is the father of the baby, according to police reports. A grand jury later indicted Scott on 14 different sex charges, including filming the young girl simulating sex acts on him.

The alleged fake suicide last July came just days before Scott, an Iraq war veteran, was due to face the serious charges. Investigators found his dinghy with a suicide note attached and a small-caliber handgun in the water tied to a rope.

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Search and rescue crews from various agencies searched for seven days in the hopes of locating Scott’s body. But investigators became suspicious when no body washed up and there was very little blood or bone/brain fragments on any part of the boat.

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Scott had also withdrawn $45,000 from a retirement account before he went missing.

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In interviews with the Sun Herald newspaper, Scott’s wife, whose name was not released, said her ex-husband had threatened to kill her and her daughter after discovering she was pregnant. “She knew he was violent and she knew he would follow up on his threats,” her mother told the Sun Herald. “He would say, ‘I’m going to blow your momma’s head off and make you watch if you tell what’s happened.’”

Scott was married to his wife for about 10 years. She filed for divorce after Scott explained to her on a car ride that he would be going to jail for sexually assaulting her daughter. That day the couple had been summoned to the local hospital by police to discuss her daughter’s pregnancy. Scott’s vehicle was found at Alabama’s Boggy Point Park. Investigators found his license, credit cards and his dog tag. There were also empty liquor bottles in the car.

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