Martrell Eric Robinson, a 22-year-old resident of Rialto, California, was tragically shot and killed in Pasadena on October 30, 2022. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 1:30 a.m., when police responded to reports of a deceased person in the 100 block of Painter Street. Upon arrival, officers found Robinson lying unresponsive in the street, suffering from a gunshot wound. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Pasadena Police Department's Robbery/Homicide Unit immediately launched an investigation into the homicide, which led to the identification of multiple suspects.
The investigation revealed that Robinson's death was connected to a local criminal street gang. On January 9, 2023, Pasadena police, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s Pacific Southwest Fugitive Apprehension Taskforce, executed a search warrant in Pomona, California, leading to the arrest of two suspects: David Lamont Hunt-Cooks, 28, and Brittney Chenise Ruth, 32. Both suspects were charged with one felony count of homicide each. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office filed the charges on January 11, 2023, with bail set at $3 million for Hunt-Cooks and $2 million for Ruth.
The preliminary hearing for the suspects was scheduled for May 17, 2023, at the Pasadena Courthouse. The motive for the shooting has not been publicly disclosed by authorities. The case has drawn significant attention from the local community, with public officials and community leaders expressing their condolences to Robinson's family and urging residents to utilize available mental health resources to cope with the trauma of the incident. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities continue to gather evidence and seek justice for Martrell Eric Robinson.
