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Robert Earnest Rozier Junior’s Background

Robert Earnest Rozier Jr. was born July 28th, 1955, in Anchorage, Alaska. His family later moved to California, where he became an athletic freak. He played football, participated in track and field, and could bench press 375 pounds.

He attended Grays Harbour College in Washington before becoming an elite University of California Berkley defensive player.

After leaving college, he was selected in the 1979 NFL draft in the 9th round by the St. Louis Cardinals, now known as the Arizona Cardinals. He played six games with the team and later played in the Canadian Football League.

He returned to the NFL and joined the Oakland Raiders, but only lasted two weeks.

Participation In The Nation of Yahweh

In 1982, he met religious leader and black supremacist Yahweh ben Yahweh. He fell under Yahweh’s spell, took the name Neariah Israel, and moved into Yahweh’s Miami, Florida, temple full-time.

Years later, Rozier was ready to join Yahweh’s secret group, the Brotherhood. He was required to kill a “white devil” and bring Yahweh one of his body parts.

In 1986, Rozier followed a man to his apartment. Once he got inside, he killed the man and his roommate.

On September 4th, 1986, he and another member of the Nation of Yahweh killed 61-year-old Raymond Kelly and cut off his ear so they could take it back to Yahweh.

Fifteen days later, Rozier and three others killed 45-year-old Cecil Branch as payback for a prior conflict.

On October 27th, 1986, the Nation bought an apartment complex and tried to remove all the residents.

On October 31st, 1986, Rozier killed two residents who weren’t receptive to the idea of moving out. He was arrested the same day.

Legal Proceedings

The Nation provided Rozier with a lawyer when he was first arrested, but he was excommunicated after he demanded a new one.

After being betrayed, he became a witness for the state in exchange for 22 years in prison. He confessed to seven murders.

The information he gave up led to the arrest of 16 members of the Nation. The big fish Yahweh ben Yahweh was acquitted of murder charges, but he did end up serving 11 years for conspiracy charges.

Rozier was placed in the witness program and given a new name during his prison sentence. He was released after serving just ten years.

Third Strike

On February 5th, 1999, Rozier was arrested in California for bouncing a $66 check. The charge was a misdemeanor, but once prosecutors learned about his previous felony convictions in other states, California’s three-strikes law allowed prosecutors to charge him with a felony.

He went to trial in 2000 and was convicted of bouncing 27 checks for $2,200. He was sentenced to 25 years to life. He was denied parole in February 2022 and January 2025. He will be eligible for parole again in January 2028.