In the late summer of 2011, the community of Sumter, South Carolina, was unsettled by the grim discovery of one of its own. William Eric Robinson, a 34-year-old man, was found deceased on Wednesday, August 3, 2011. His death was the result of a single gunshot wound to the head. The initial investigation began as a missing person's case after Robinson's family grew concerned when they were unable to contact him.
Their worst fears were realized when his car was located at the Gionwood Apartments, and a subsequent search by law enforcement revealed his body inside the trunk.
The investigation into Robinson's death quickly led to three arrests. Jacob Lee Terry, 26 years old at the time, was identified as the primary suspect and charged with murder. Terry was reportedly the last person seen with Robinson on the evening before his body was discovered. Also taken into custody were Terry's sister, 28-year-old Jacolyn Jacobus, who faced a charge of accessory after the fact to murder, and 28-year-old Travis Bracey, who was charged with obstruction of justice for allegedly misleading investigators.
According to reports, the events leading to Robinson's death began with a dispute at Terry's apartment, which was located near where the victim's car was ultimately found. Robinson had gone to Terry's residence on the night of August 2, 2011, to discuss a debt of $1,500 that Robinson reportedly owed him. An argument ensued, culminating in the fatal shooting. An associate of Terry's, Travis Bracey, was present at the apartment during the incident and heard the gunshot after Terry had increased the volume of the music playing. A neighbor also reported seeing Robinson slumped over a window, apparently deceased.
The legal process that followed brought some measure of closure to Robinson's grieving family. In February 2014, Jacob Lee Terry's trial for the murder of William Eric Robinson commenced. During the proceedings, Terry chose to change his plea to guilty. He expressed remorse for his actions, stating that he never intended for the situation to escalate as it did. The court sentenced Terry to 45 years in prison for the murder charge, with a concurrent five-year sentence for possession of a weapon during a violent crime.
