Suvechha Sarkar
The day of April 3, 2008, began like any other for Thomas “Tom” Wiles. However, it took a dark turn when he found an email on his computer, claiming that his 26-year-old son, Robert Arthur Wiles, affectionately known as Rob, was kidnapped. What ensued was an intensive search and relentless efforts of the authorities before evidence led them to conclude that Rob was no longer alive. The episode titled ‘To Kidnap a Prince’ of Investigation Discovery’s ‘Homicide Hunter: American Detective’ focuses on the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. The episode also features first-hand accounts from Rob’s family and officials who continued searching for answers after the tragedy.
Robert Arthur Wiles’ Remains Haven’t Been Discovered to This Day
Robert Arthur Wiles, lovingly known as Rob, was born on September 23, 1981, in Sylvania, Ohio. He grew up in a household filled with love and laughter, surrounded by the immense support of his parents, Pamela and Thomas “Tom” Wiles. Besides that, Rob always loved making memories with his beloved sister, Audra Wiles. According to his loved ones, he had a fun-loving personality and was compassionate, which often drew people towards him. After graduating from the Florida Preparatory Academy (formerly known as Florida Air Academy), he joined the US Air Force ROTC program. During that time, the formal training helped Rob become an avid pilot, while he simultaneously continued his impressive athletic journey. Following that, Rob eventually joined the family company, National Flight Services.
Tom wanted his son to learn about the business from the ground up, and Rob was assigned to the venture’s facility in Lakeland, Florida. Gradually, Rob’s skills helped him get promoted to the Business Development Manager role, in which he had to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Beyond his professional life, Rob enjoyed activities such as boating, diving, and deep-sea fishing, which highlighted his love of the ocean. Sadly, Pamela and Tom were unable to work out their relationship, and they separated in 2006. Things began returning to normal on April 3, 2008. On that day, Tom received an email claiming that a group had kidnapped Rob. In that email, the kidnappers demanded a $750,000 ransom, asked Tom not to call the police, and gave a deadline of April 8, 2008, for the money.
When Tom and Pamela contacted the authorities, they reportedly discovered Rob’s car. Despite searching his vehicle, office, and apartment, detectives found no leads. They learned that Rob was last seen on April 1 at his workplace at the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport around 6:30 pm. On April 8, the FBI set a trap for the kidnappers in Rob’s office by placing coffee grounds inside a box and placing it on his table. At the same time, they kept watch from an adjacent office room of Rob’s co-worker, Stobert Lindell Holt Jr., AKA Toby. However, no kidnappers showed up to take the box. When digital experts tracked the location data from Rob’s missing mobile, they made several discoveries. Although Rob’s remains hadn’t been found, he was reportedly presumed dead.
Officials Arrested Stobert Holt Based on Circumstantial Evidence Against Him
During the initial investigation, authorities noticed that since Rob’s workplace had tight security, it was impossible for someone from outside to kidnap him. Hence, they interrogated all his co-workers but found no leads. According to reports, after Tom and Pamela’s divorce, they sold one of their houses for $750,000, and Tom had to pay that amount to Pamela. Furthermore, it turned out that National Flight Services provided kidnapping and ransom insurance to senior employees like Rob. Hence, officials reportedly suspected that, because of the insurance, there was a chance Tom could recover the $750,000 if he paid a ransom to secure his son’s release. However, Tom was quickly cleared of suspicion after no evidence connected him to the crime. When officials exhausted all leads, they tracked Rob’s mobile location.
According to police records, Rob’s phone was active from April 1 to April 3, 2008, and had passed through several toll booths. When detectives and Tom checked footage of those booths, Tom identified a BMW convertible that belonged to Toby. Reports state that digital experts soon discovered that Toby’s mobile pinged at the same location and time as Rob’s cell phone on April 3. When Toby was questioned, he first claimed that the kidnapper was following him and trying to frame him, but that account was soon refuted. Upon searching Toby’s car, law enforcement uncovered a white plastic trash bag containing a .40 caliber weapon, hidden under the hood of his BMW. In his statements, Toby claimed that on April 1, he last saw Rob around 6:30 pm and then went to Hooters before checking into a hotel to meet his mistress.
Police records state that surveillance footage showed Toby never visited Hooters. They also found that although he checked into the hotel around 9:15 pm, he went out after 2 minutes and didn’t return until around midnight. Toby’s cell records revealed another call to a Home Depot in Lakeland at 8:15 pm. Records indicate that Home Depot transactions revealed two cash purchases of four to five black plastic vinyl sheets and two rolls of duct tape, about the same time as when Toby placed the call. According to court records, detectives believed that those items suggested a possibility of being used in disposing of remains. Ultimately, Toby was arrested in Orlando, Florida, on December 18, 2009. He was charged with first-degree murder, extortion, kidnapping, and writing threats to kill or cause bodily harm.
Stobert Holt is Currently Incarcerated at a Florida Prison Facility
After Toby was taken into custody, the case went to trial before a jury in January 2012. During the trial, the prosecution presented several pieces of evidence, such as the Home Depot purchases and the cell phone records of Rob and Toby. They claimed that it was possible that on April 1, 2008, Toby had argued with Rob before killing him and allegedly staging a fake ransom scheme to demand money. They argued that even without Rob’s remains, the evidence proved his death. On the other hand, the defense claimed that there was no physical evidence tying Toby to the crime. They emphasized that the case relied heavily on assumptions and circumstantial evidence. On January 31, 2012, the jury found Toby guilty of extortion, manslaughter, and writing a threatening letter.
On March 12, 2012, Toby was sentenced to 30 years in prison, which included two consecutive 15-year terms for manslaughter and extortion. Following that, he appealed his conviction and filed post-conviction motions, claiming ineffective assistance of counsel and insufficient evidence for manslaughter. However, the courts consistently affirmed the trial court’s judgment, noting that there was sufficient evidence and his trial met legal standards. Toby had also sought habeas corpus relief, but the court denied it on February 16, 2023. Additionally, his certificate of appealability was also denied. As of writing, Toby is serving his sentence at the Marion Correctional Institution in Ocala, Florida. His current release date is scheduled for July 8, 2036.
