Rhymes Unfinished: Jacksonville Rapper Missing After Game Night With His Mom

On a warm September evening in 2017, 35-year-old Robert Torrence McLaughlin, also known by his rap stage name “Francis Royal,” spent the night with his mother, Angela McLaughlin Brantley, enjoying a Jacksonville Jaguars football game. For Robert, the night should have been no different than any other. However, by the following morning, he had disappeared without a trace, leaving behind a family desperate for answers and a city grappling with another mystery. According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Department, Robert was last seen at his apartment in the Capper Landing Complex, located in Jacksonville, around 10:00 p.m. on September 24, 2017. Despite having a show scheduled in Georgia the following week, he never showed up, and no one has seen or heard from him since.

Unanswered Questions and Growing Concerns

Robert’s mother, Angela, is heartbroken over the lack of progress in her son’s case. In interviews, she expressed frustration at the way law enforcement has handled the investigation, saying she has struggled to get any meaningful updates. “I haven’t been able to contact anyone; no one is returning calls about anything. Just because someone has braids and tattoos and likes rap music does not mean they belong in the category of someone living a ‘thuggish’ life,” Angela said. Robert had been working hard on his music career, aspiring to make a name for himself beyond the limits of his neighborhood. The fact that he was a talented and driven artist made his sudden disappearance even more baffling. Angela shared that Robert had suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident back in 2014, which led to a brief period of memory loss. Though he made a full recovery, the trauma of that event remained a part of his past, and now, his family is left wondering what happened to him.

The Search for Robert McLaughlin

Robert was 5’10” and weighed around 210 pounds when he vanished. His case has raised concerns about the lack of attention given to individuals like him, especially in communities where certain stereotypes may color the perception of people’s worth or importance. Despite the efforts of his family to raise awareness and gather information, Robert’s case remains unsolved. Angela continues to fight for justice, refusing to let her son’s disappearance become a forgotten tragedy.

How You Can Help

If you have any information regarding Robert Torrence McLaughlin’s disappearance, please contact the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office at 904-630-2627. His family is desperately seeking answers to bring closure to this heartbreaking case and uncover the truth about what happened that fateful September night.